Catching up to you
by maeyan
Summary: It's been ten years and Ash and Misty are still traveling together. Will they ever get where they want to be? Chapter 7 has some heavy language so it's probably PG.
1. Chapter One

Catching Up To You  
(part 1 of 7)  
  
by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)  
  
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods,   
I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc of Pokémon.  
If they're looking for new owners, however I get dibs on Gary!  
  
AN: This story took me more than a YEAR to write! And I ended up   
butchering huge chunks back out because my betas all asked "why is   
that there"... so no Rocketshipper ending this time, kiddos. Maybe in   
an epilogue? Or a side story? I still have most of the plot...   
Anyway. Any feedback would be nice. Please send it to   
maeyan@mailcity.com  
  
SUMMARY: It's been ten years and Ash and Misty are still traveling   
together. Will they ever get where they want to be?  
  
---------------------  
  
Part One:  
  
"Y'know what? I quit!" His voice was sharp and not at all like his   
normal tone. She turned to look at him and stood transfixed as she   
watched Ash fiddle with his belt a moment before finally throwing his   
Pokéballs to the ground.   
  
Misty continued to stare as Pikachu ran to catch up with him as he   
headed back down the path they'd just traveled. "Ash?" She grabbed up   
his discarded Pokémon and hurried after him.  
  
He stopped and turned to her. "What? What now, Misty? Can't I even   
quit right?" The look on his face worried her. What was going on? He   
seemed so sad all of a sudden.   
  
"Stop it Ash. It's not funny." She tried to hand him his Pokéballs   
but he pushed her hands away, shaking his head.   
  
"I'm serious." He took off his hat, looked at it for a moment, and   
then placed it on Misty's head. She gasped. His league hat. His most   
prized possession since... well, since as long as she'd known him! "I   
can't take it anymore. I'm tired of the arguing, the battling, the   
walking, sleeping on the ground. I'm tired of it. What does it get   
me? Every day- the same thing. I'll never make Pokémon Master, and  
I don't know if I even want to anymore."   
  
"Ash! Wait. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean what I said, You know   
that. I..."   
  
He turned away from her. "Take care of Pikachu for me."   
  
"Ash? Ash!" Misty watched as he disappeared from view. What had just   
happened? One minute they're talking about setting up camp and the   
next minute he's storming off in a snit. "Fine, Ash Ketchum. You can   
have your little temper tantrum..." Okay so maybe they weren't   
just 'talking'... "I'll just wait right here until you come crawling   
back!" Maybe it was more like arguing?  
  
Misty frowned at the empty road. How long had they been traveling   
together that he didn't know she was just blowing off steam and   
frustration? That she never really meant it when she yelled at him.   
Hadn't they discussed that years ago? She was used to yelling to get   
her point across. She was, after all, the youngest of four. He'd met   
her sisters, even spent a few holidays with her family. He'd claimed   
to understand.  
  
But she couldn't shake a bad feeling about this. She'd never seen   
that look in his eyes before, for one thing. It was like he had just   
died inside. She sank to the ground. Pikachu climbed into her lap   
with a soft "pika?" and she plopped the League hat on his head. He   
grabbed hold of it and looked at her questioningly.  
  
"He'll be back, Pikachu." I hope, she thought, with a prayer to every   
god she'd ever heard of. But then, Ash had to come back. He couldn't   
leave Pikachu behind. Could he? After this long?  
  
She didn't know how long she sat there, Pikachu on her lap, just   
watching the road. She shivered as the evening's breezes began to   
turn cool, shaking her head, she set Pikachu on the ground and stood   
to locate a good site for the night's camp. That was what she'd been   
yelling at Ash about, but he had been right, as usual. She still had   
to find firewood. And cook dinner. And feed the Pokémon. And...   
  
"Ash? Hurry back," she whispered, as it suddenly dawned on her that   
she was alone. She glanced at Pikachu who was still staring in the   
direction Ash had gone and sighed as his whispered "Pi pi pika.   
Pikapi?" floated to her with the breeze.  
  
The sun set just as Misty finished setting up camp. Well, setting it   
up as best she could on her own. Pikachu finally joined her and   
together they managed the fire, but by the time she was done with   
everything, Misty was ready for bed. When Ash comes back tonight, she   
thought wearily, as she stretched and reached for his things,   
there'll be a fire, but no dinner. "Serves him right," she added as   
she laid out his sleeping bag for him. "Leaving his Pokémon and  
all this junk for me to watch while he goes off," she fumed softly as   
she crawled into her own bag.  
  
"Pi Pikachu?" asked Pikachu as he curled up beside her. Misty looked   
at him a moment, smiled, and ruffled his furry head.   
  
"I'm sorry, Pikachu. You're no bother. I'm just upset with Ash. I   
hope he's okay out there." She pulled her sleeping bag close and   
drifted into an uneasy sleep.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"I... I'm afraid." She covered her face  
with suddenly trembling hands. "What if  
he doesn't make it?"  
  
Ash pulled her into his arms with a soft   
"shush" and crooned softly as she finally  
let loose the tears she'd been holding back  
for so long. "It'll be okay, Misty. It'll   
be okay. I'm here. Don't worry, everything   
will be fine."  
  
He was still rocking her when Professor   
Oak came back into the room. "Joy and I are   
doing the best we can," the professor said   
wearily as he removed the facemask. "but   
you should probably be prepared for the   
worst." He nodded to Ash. "Take her home,   
Ash. There's nothing you two can do here,   
and you both need rest."  
  
Misty barely put up a struggle as Ash   
helped her into her coat and walked her   
down the stone path to his house. Mrs.   
Ketchum was waiting at the door, looking   
anxiously in their direction.  
  
"Oh, Misty. I'm so sorry... He's gone."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, James?" Jessie stuck her head up   
from the bushes and shook her hair free from the scraggly branches.   
Her partner's head popped up next to her; the dim twilight backlit   
the twigs sticking in all directions from his head as he grinned   
inanely. She smiled; he looked like a ten-year-old, resisting curfew   
and getting ready for a prank.  
  
"Yes, I am, Jessie. He-he hehehe! The twerp is finally gone and   
Pikachu is all ours."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. But first things first!" came a third voice, and   
Jessie turned to look behind them.   
  
"Huh?" Heads rattled as they searched for their partner in crime.   
Nothing was in sight.   
  
"I'm right here, you numbskulls!"  
  
"Meowth? Where are you?" Jessie was getting irritated. She was tired,   
and this was their big chance to catch Pikachu; she wasn't going to   
pass it up. The Boss had given them 30 days before they were to   
finally be reassigned. She had doubts that a 'reassignment' was going   
to be a good thing.   
  
"Up here! Look up!" She followed the direction of the voice and   
located the feline fiend. Meowth had apparently taken it into his   
head to climb a tree and was now hanging from the branch just above   
their heads.   
  
"Meowth! What are you doing up there? Get down here at once!" Jessie   
was moving past irritated and well into "angry." They still needed to   
come up with a plan to actually capture Pikachu - what was Meowth   
doing climbing trees?   
  
Despite the fact that he was a cat, or maybe because of it, Meowth   
had never been too great on getting down from trees.   
  
"Meowth," James sounded confused. "What's more important than   
catching Pikachu?"   
  
Meowth sighed his 'I can't believe you're so dense' sigh. "I'll tell   
you what's more important than catching that Pikachu! GETTING ME DOWN   
FROM HERE! That's what!" Meowth shook and mewled softly, "I'm stuck."  
  
"Ouuhh." sighed James as he stood to try to rescue their  
Poképartner,   
Pikachu temporarily forgotten in the midst of their own little   
Pokécrisis. Jessie looked back towards the campsite where they had   
seen the twerp leaving Pikachu and the girl. It was getting late-   
they would have to plan tonight and then capture Pikachu tomorrow.   
She clenched her fist and wondered briefly whether the next day would   
bring about the victory they'd been chasing for the past decade or if   
they would indeed fail again. Tomorrow was Day Thirty.  
  
-----------------  
  
Misty woke early and stretched to remove some of the ache from her   
body, a smile on her face despite the bad dreams she'd had all night.   
  
"Mmmm. Time to wake up, Ash. We've got to..." She looked over at his   
sleeping bag and saw that her friend wasn't there. The bag hadn't   
been slept in, which meant that Ash hadn't come back during the   
night. "Ash..." Misty whispered, afraid. Maybe Ash wasn't just having   
a temper tantrum; Maybe he was really gone. What would she do?  
  
"Prepare for trouble!"  
  
Misty looked up in time to see the two most familiar members of Team   
Rocket swing from a vine onto a large rock in front of her. They were   
dressed in green tights and feathered hats.   
  
"Make that double!" James' pose included a rose, despite the Robin   
Hood theme.  
  
Strange, Misty thought, with a soft shake of her head. I never   
thought seeing *these* idiots would make me feel better. But it's   
almost comforting that they're still around. Even with Ash not   
here...   
  
"To protect the world from devastation..."  
"To unite all peoples within our nation..."  
  
Misty yawned and climbed out of her bag, forcing a sleepy Pikachu to   
wake as well, and   
  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love..."  
"To extend our reach to the stars above..."  
  
Ignoring the now familiar motto, Misty began to roll her sleeping   
bag.   
  
"Jessie..."  
"James..."  
  
Misty finished with her bag and walked over to Ash's. She paused for   
a moment, looking around. Team Rocket was posing as usual, and Misty   
ignored them. It was silly, she knew, but she hoped that Ash would   
suddenly appear if she just waited long enough. She shook her head   
and started to slowly roll up his sleeping bag as well.  
  
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"  
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"  
  
Misty looked up just as the missing member of the team came swinging   
in with his rhyming "Meowth! That's right!" His entrance sent his   
teammates sprawling to the ground..  
  
She gave a small grin but it died as she turned back to face Ash's   
sleeping bag and pack. "Ash," she muttered wearily. "How did you ever   
get this in here with all this junk?"  
  
"Meowth! You knocked me down! Watch where you're going!"   
  
"Yes, Meowth! That hurt!"  
  
"Shut up youse guys, and let's get that Pikachu. We've gotta get back   
on the Boss's good side or we're all gonna get hurt!"   
  
"Right!"  
  
"Let's do it!"   
  
Misty finally gave up and threw Ash's things to the side. Turning on   
her heels, she looked up at the three posturing Rockets, frowned, and   
blew her unbrushed hair from her eyes. "Look guys. I'm sorry, but I   
am not in the mood to deal with you today. Could we do this some   
other time?"  
  
"Oooh," Jessie cooed, swooning a bit. "The little girl *isn't in the   
mood* to deal with us." Like lightening, she straightened and struck   
a threatening pose. "Well, we're in the mood to take Pikachu! So deal   
with that, missy!"   
  
James laughed, mirrored his partner's pose and reached for a   
Pokéball. "Yes. And when Team Rocket is playing, every deal is a   
dirty one."  
  
"Meee-owth! So *hand* over that Pikachu!"   
  
"Pika pi!" Pikachu struck his favourite battle pose, sparks of   
electricity gathering at his cheeks as Misty took a deep breath and   
slowly rose to her feet. This was too much. Ash hadn't come back   
(Ash? Where are you?) and now these idiots wouldn't go away. No   
longer comforting, they were definitely going to get a taste of her   
temper.   
  
"My name is *Misty*, not missy. After all these years, you should   
know *that* at least! I said I'm not in the mood for games. I've   
asked you nicely, now I am telling you: LEAVE ME ALONE."   
  
Jessie and Meowth laughed, while James giggled and pretended to   
cower. "Ooooh. I am so scared, MISSY." He tossed his   
Pokéball. "Wheezing! Smoke Screen!"  
  
The ball struck the ground, releasing a beam of light as Wheezing   
appeared between Misty and Team Rocket.   
  
"Whee...zinguh..." the Pokémon muttered as it began spouting  
clouds of dark gas from its body. Misty coughed, reaching to her belt   
while she listened for Pikachu beside her. She knew all too well that   
the smokescreen was just to allow Team Rocket time to sneak up and   
take him. How many times had they done just that to Ash? Doesn't   
really matter right now, does it? she thought, releasing her own   
Pokéball. "Staryu, spin and watergun."   
  
Misty reached for another Pokéball, keeping close to Pikachu as   
Staryu's aerobatics cleared away Wheezing's smokescreen, the watergun   
attack sweeping the opposing Pokémon into the brush. She strained  
to see through the dissipating smoke, and caught a glimpse of the   
terrible trio out of the corner of her eye. She turned quickly in   
their direction and threw a second Pokéball. "Starmie! Tackle  
attack, now!"   
  
"Hyah!"  
  
The attack sent Team Rocket flying backwards through the trees and   
out of sight. Misty recalled her Pokémon and sank to the ground,   
tears beginning to sting her closed eyes.  
  
"Piiiiiii?" cried Pikachu, and Misty opened her eyes, looking about   
wildly.   
  
"What is it, Pikachu? Is Ash back?" No, but Pikachu was staring at   
her, his small yellow shoulders drooped and tears in his own eyes.   
  
"Pipi pik pika Pikachu?" he whispered, pointing at himself and then   
looking in the direction of the vanquished bad guys. Misty was   
confused for a minute, but suddenly it dawned on her: she hadn't used   
Pikachu in the battle and he was feeling left out - Ash always used   
him to finish off Team Rocket. She swept him in for a hug and   
apologized.   
  
"Oh Pikachu. I... I just didn't think... Ash would've... I mean... I   
was worried about losing you too... and... and..." She couldn't   
explain it to herself or to him, so she just held him close and   
cried. "Dammit, Ash Ketchum, what am I going to do now?"  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
-------------------------------  
DISTRIBUTION: Please respect my (limited) copyright and ASK   
permission to borrow this story. This will be posted to my website   
(http://draxonious.tripod.com/), fanfic.net, fanfic.org, the AAMRN   
yahoo group and the PFFML yahoo group.  
  
Please send any feedback to maeyan@mailcity.com 


	2. Chapter Two

Catching Up To You  
(part 2 of 7)  
  
by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)  
  
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods,   
I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc of Pokémon.  
  
  
Part two:  
  
-----------------  
  
Misty dumped the last potful of dirt over the ex-campfire and sighed. It had been a long week, but now she was sure that Ash wasn't coming back and she was ready to move on. She looked down at her friends and smiled weakly. She had released Squirtle and Bulbasaur yesterday and, with Pikachu's help, told them the entire story. Or rather, what she knew of it. She didn't plan on telling the other Pokémon until she knew what was going to happen to them. But Bulbasaur and Squirtle... Bulbasaur had been with Ash almost from the beginning, like Pikachu. And Squirtle? After his return from helping the firefighting Squirtle Squad, he and Ash had become closer than they ever were before Johto. Misty had to tell them.  
  
The only thing that happened was an argument about whether or not they would get back into their Pokéballs. And no, they were still out. With her, now. On *her* quest.   
  
And she had a quest; she'd decided yesterday and had gone into town for the supplies last night.  
  
Oh, she had considered her options, of course. Lily needed help with the gym, now that Daisy and Violet had families of their own. The last letter from Cerulean had suggested that maybe Misty could take some time off and come home. And then there was the scholarship waiting for her, the one she had been given after the Johto trip. She had never thought of accepting it, but college was certainly another option. Or she could journey on and even try for her own Masters title. She just needed the actual badges, and that wouldn't take too long. Not with her experience and background.   
  
She shouldered her pack, a larger one now that she was carrying Ash's discarded belongings as well as her own, adjusted his faded League cap on her red hair and sighed. They were heading back to Pallet Town, as it seemed the best place to start. She'd thought to call Ash's mother while she was in town buying supplies, but the small burg didn't have a Pokémon Center or public phone; she'd have had to knock on one of the few houses and ask to borrow a phone. And she didn't have any cash - just her credits. After she thought about it, Misty was actually glad: she really didn't want to discuss something like this over the phone anyway.   
  
"Okay, guys. Let's go find Ash."  
  
They set out early in the morning, knowing it would take longer than expected to get back to Ash's hometown. For one thing, Bulbasaur and Squirtle were not used to walking long distances; they needed a number of stops along the way to rest. For another, Misty now had to feed three Pokémon and herself, so they were forced to take the long route, staying near towns and grocery stores instead of heading straight through the forests as she had always done with Ash. She simply couldn't carry enough food for them all as well as both her and Ash's belongings.  
  
They managed along fairly well, for all that, and Misty was actually kind of glad about using the roads. Most trainers stuck to the paths and trails of the forests in order to catch Pokémon so that only a few people passed her on the road. It wasn't long, however, until Squirtle began to complain about his feet. Despite his years with the Squirtle Squad, he still wasn't used to long journeys on foot. They stopped for lunch and after treating him as best she could, Misty set about fashioning a pair of sandals from some strips of bark and cloth while the Pokémon ate.   
  
"What is that you're making?" The soft voice startled her and she turned to see a young girl looking over her shoulder. Misty smiled at the dark-haired little girl.   
  
"A pair of sandals for Squirtle." She handed the girl a finished shoe for inspection. "He's a water-type Pokémon; his feet aren't really made for walking distances on the ground."  
  
The girl was obviously confused. "Why don't you carry him in a Pokéball like my brother carries his Pokémon?"  
  
"Brother?" Misty looked around. "So your brother is a Pokémon trainer?" She finally spotted the boy standing about four feet away from where Bulbasaur was eating his lunch and watched as the new trainer inched closer to the relaxing Pokémon. Misty was unable to quench a small giggle as Bulbasaur stretched out a vine and tripped the boy before he could get too close. While still eating, mind you, she thought fondly. She turned back to the girl. "What's your brother's name?"  
  
"Mark," the girl replied, still fascinated by the idea of shoes for Pokémon. "And I'm Kim."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Kim. My name is Misty." She looked again at the Pokémon picnic to see Mark once again on the receiving end of a gentle vine whip attack, and laughed as this time Squirtle joined in, dousing him with a light watergun. She had to warn the poor boy: "Mark? You might want to leave them alone before Pikachu gets irritated."  
  
Mark stopped his third advance and seemed to consider her advice, joining the ladies after a glance at a twitching (but smirking, Misty noticed) Pikachu. Kim held the sandal up to him with a smile. "Look, Mark! A shoe for Squirtle! Because his feet hurt when he walks on the ground! Isn't that a neat idea?"  
  
Mark looked at Misty's hand where the second sandal was almost completed. "But why? Why not keep him in a Pokéball?"  
  
Misty shrugged. "He wants to walk with me. And I like his company."  
  
Mark looked almost scandalised, but the expression immediately faded to a hopeful determination. "I just got my first Pokémon, miss. Would you mind if I battled you and Bulbasaur?" His fingers fairly twitched at his belt where his lone Pokéball was secured. Misty tightened the last cord on the sandal and thought. Bulbasaur could definitely take any beginning Pokémon, but she wasn't sure that he would battle. For her or even at all. She wasn't even sure that she wanted a battle. She sighed and stood.   
  
"My name is Misty. Let's go give Squirtle his sandals and see if Bulbasaur wants to battle." She led the way back towards the picnic.   
  
"If Bulbasaur *wants* to battle?" Mark squeaked from behind her as she knelt in front of Squirtle and slipped the sandals on his feet. The water Pokémon stood and wobbled a bit.   
  
"Squir Tel! Te-eh ehl. Squir!"  
  
"Walk about, Squirtle. Get used to them. Pikachu, could you help him a bit?"   
  
"Pi!"  
  
Misty turned to Mark as Pikachu and Squirtle tottered off to find a more level piece of practice ground. "Bulbasaur is an intelligent creature who knows his limits and abilities better than I ever could. I'm not going to force him to battle if he doesn't want to. That's something you'll need to learn if you ever hope to get the most from your Pokémon."  
  
Surprisingly, it was Kim who asked the most obvious question, "But isn't that what a Pokémon trainer does? Make them battle?"  
  
"What's the point of battling? That's the question you have to ask yourself." Misty sank to the grass and stroked Bulbasaur, who had walked over to sit next to her. "Pokémon bond with the humans who capture them. Battling isn't natural - they don't use attacks in the wild except for extreme defense or hunting needs. Pokémon battling was something humans forced them into a long time ago - something they do *for* us, even if we've long forgotten the original need for it. Forcing a Pokémon to battle when it can't or doesn't want to will only hurt your Pokémon. And if you continue doing it, your Pokémon will lose trust in you and will eventually make you lose everything you've worked for." Misty smiled down at Bulbasaur. "Right?"  
  
"Bulba." The grass Pokémon nodded lazily, his head falling to her lap as the afternoon of good food and warm sunshine combined to drag him into slumber.  
  
Misty stroked Bulbasaur as he napped. The children were silent and Misty smiled. They'll learn quickly enough, she thought. There's a big difference between learning about Pokémon care and caring for Pokémon. She closed her eyes and leaned into the sunlight, feeling its warmth on her face. She'd lived in a gym all her childhood and still found that there was a great deal that she didn't know about Pokémon. Even water Pokémon. That was why these journeys were so important. She said as much aloud, adding, "You can only go so far without experience." She opened her eyes and saw that Mark was frowning at her: his respect for an elder trainer was apparently warring with his impulse to blurt out that she was doing things all wrong. She smiled softly, remembering how it had taken a defeat at Brock's hands to knock the most sense into Ash. And, she admitted, to herself as well.   
  
"Bulbasaur?" She nudged the drowsy grass Pokémon awake. "Mark here just got his first Pokémon. How would you like to be his first opponent?"  
  
"Bul? Bul saur bulba." He frowned softly, chucking his head in the young boy's direction.  
  
Misty nodded, "Yes, well he may surprise us, you know. What do you say, are you up to it?" Bulbasaur looked up at the late afternoon sky for a moment before nodding. He stood and shook himself fully awake, then headed towards a flattened area that looked as if it had been used for battling before.  
  
"Bulba?" he called.  
  
Misty stood and nodded to Mark. "Let's go!" She walked over to stand beside Bulbasaur as Mark removed his Pokéball.   
  
"Go Bully!" he cried, and a fresh young bulbasaur appeared in front of him.   
  
"Bulba!" it said as they jauntily walked to the opposite end of the 'battlefield.' Misty took a moment to check and saw that Kim had wandered off and was helping Pikachu and Squirtle. She turned back to Mark, smiled, then reminded him that challengers had the first move.   
  
"Bully! Tackle attack!" Mark cried and his bulbasaur thundered across the small field and smacked into Bulbasaur. For its size, Misty was surprised to see that it had actually managed to move Bulbasaur back about two feet.   
  
"You're pretty tough, Bully!" Misty smiled at the young Pokémon and then at the opposing trainer. "You've obviously been training hard, Mark. Bulbasaur, Razor leaf." Bully was forced to retreat as the sharp leaves came flying at his face.   
  
"Bully! Vine whip those leaves away!" Bully's small, uncoordinated vines began flicking at the leaves.  
  
"Bulbasaur! Vine whip!" Misty countered quickly before the entire cloud of leaves was gone. Bulbasaur's own larger vines reached out and looped around Bully's feet, lifting and tossing him to the ground. He was obviously knocked for a loop, and Mark ran onto the battlefield to examine his Pokémon. Misty knelt and stroked Bulbasaur's chin. "Thanks, Bulbasaur. You were great, as always."  
  
Mark walked up to her, Bully already returned to his Pokéball. "How did you do that?"  
  
Bulbasaur sighed, shook his head, and walked off in the direction of a small stand of trees.   
  
"Bulbasaur may not be my Pokémon," Misty started to answer his question when Mark interrupted.  
  
"What! He's not your Pokémon?"   
  
Misty looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "No. I'm watching the three of them for a friend of mine while he's... away." She winced a bit at the phrasing, but continued. "I'm a water-Pokémon trainer, actually, but I've known these three for years."  
  
Mark whistled. "Wow. But why did Bulbasaur take your commands if he's not yours?"  
  
"Because we're friends." Misty shrugged. "He trusts me and I trust him."  
  
"And that Vine Whip attack? He just guessed that was what you wanted him to do, then."  
  
Misty shook her head and clapped his shoulder. "Mark. When you and your Pokémon have absolute faith in each other, you can almost read each other's minds. I saw an opening in Bully's defense and when I told Bulbasaur to use Vine Whip, he saw what I did. He's a seasoned fighter too, Mark, remember that. If he'd hesitated in the least, I would have followed with more specific instructions."  
  
Mark smirked. "So it was luck."   
  
Misty had to laugh. "Isn't everything just a matter of luck?" Mark frowned and Misty pulled him to the tree where she opened her satchel and handed him a sandwich.   
  
"Training will get you to the point where you know every single thing about your Pokémon. You will be able to tell by a twitch of a tail or a quiver of an ear exactly what they are thinking or doing. Know your Pokémon and you have won half the battle. Learn the other person's Pokémon too, and no matter what technique they use, they will have a hard battle."   
  
Kim, Pikachu and Squirtle joined them at that point with an excited squeal as the young girl exclaimed that Squirtle had managed to not fall for five whole minutes. For his part, Squirtle stumbled his way to Misty and fell on her with a happy "Squir!" Misty returned the hug and set him upright again.   
  
"I'm glad you like them, Squirtle!" She offered Kim a sandwich and the three sat and watched as Pikachu and Bulbasaur chased after the still wobbly Squirtle to try to topple him.   
  
"So where are you going that Squirtle needs shoes? Why can't you just carry him in his Pokéball?" Mark still sounded confused.   
  
Misty thought about it for a moment. "Well. We're headed to Pallet Town, to return Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pikachu to my friend. And I don't carry Squirtle in his Pokéball because he won't let me." She looked at the boy. "Have you been to the Pokémon Research Facility in Cerulean? They have a permanent exhibit where you can experience what it's like to be inside a Pokéball. Just like a Pokémon." Misty frowned. "You should go; it's a good experience: it's not too bad, but it's very lonely and you feel so glad when they let you out. Most Pokémon sleep when they're inside, but if they don't want to go, I don't like to force them." Not anymore, she silently added.  
  
Mark pulled his Pokéball from his pocket. "But don't the Pokéballs heal Pokémon who're inside?"  
  
"Y-es," Misty said hesitantly, and she wondered briefly that she felt so at-ease explaining Pokémon to these new trainers. "But sometimes it's best to let wounds heal on their own." She went on to explain about battle scars and memories. She wound up her lecture by releasing Starmie. "And see here where this arm seems a little bit darker than the others? Starmie was in a fierce battle against a wild Totodile and at one point his arm was almost ripped off." She pointed to a ring of flesh at the base of the arm. "This is the only place it was still attached. The nearest Pokémon center was miles away, and the injury was too severe to be healed by simply resting."  
  
"What did you do?" Mark asked, leaning forward to get a better look at where she was pointing.  
  
"I cut it off." Misty's grimace was accompanied by gasps from the two youngsters. "It was one of the worst moments of my life up to that point. I'd seen others do it, but I'd never..." She shrugged. "Well, it was for the best. Starmies can re-grow limbs. And because Starmie's arm grew back naturally, it's a good deal stronger than usual. He went up two levels just in the weeks it took his arm to grow back."  
She recalled the pokemon, and Kim stood. "Oh Misty! You are so smart! I want to be a great Pokémon teacher like you when I grow up!"  
  
Misty blushed. "I'm not a teacher, Kim. I've just been doing this for so long that it's all second nature to me now." She looked at her watch, then at the fast darkening sky. The trees were next and she watched a moment as they started to sway a bit harder than normal for the time of year. "And speaking of nature, we'd better find some shelter. It's going to rain tonight, starting soon." When Misty turned around, Mark was just releasing Bully.   
  
"Mark? What's wrong?" she asked, as the still groggy but standing Bulbasaur appeared.  
  
Mark shook his head with a soft blush. "Nothing. I uh, just thought Bully would like to spend some time with your bulbasaur. If that's all right?"  
  
Misty hid her grin. "Sure. Bulbasaur?" She motioned and Bulbasaur walked over, extending a tendril to Bully. "Could you make sure Bully here gets to the shelter with us?"  
  
"Bul!" He winked knowingly and Misty did smile, then.   
  
"Great! Thank you, Bulbasaur. Now." Misty pulled her satchel onto her shoulders and helped Mark and Kim with their packs, the rain just starting to pitter as they headed back to the road. "If I remember right, there's a shelter just around the bend."  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
-------------------------------  
DISTRIBUTION: Please respect my (limited) copyright and ASK   
permission to borrow this story. This will be posted to my website   
(http://draxonious.tripod.com/), fanfic.net, fanfic.org, the AAMRN   
yahoo group and the PFFML yahoo group.  
  
Please send any feedback to maeyan@mailcity.com 


	3. Chapter Three

Catching Up To You  
(part 3 of 7)  
  
by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)  
  
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods,   
I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc of Pokémon.  
If they're looking for new owners, however I get dibs on Gary!  
  
  
Part three:  
  
-----------  
  
They made it to the cabin just as the rain began in earnest. The storm soon settled in for a long night and they made plans to do the same. The rain hit the roof of the cabin shelter with tinny splats, running down the rails and into the rain barrels as the group of Pokémon and trainers ate sandwiches and fruit. Then came the ghost stories and a few more Pokémon tips from Misty before they finally tumbled into their sleeping bags. Misty sighed as her mind refused to sleep. Ash. She had to think of something besides that man. He took up her days, couldn't she at least stop thinking of him at night, too?   
  
"Mark and Kim; think of them," she muttered to herself. "No resemblance at all to Ash and me, so why does seeing them make me all weepy and nostalgic?" Suddenly Misty realized the answer: she was old. It felt weird, and she snuggled into her sleeping bag. She didn't want to be the wise grownup, responsible for...   
  
"Misty?" the tired whisper came from Kim's corner. The girl was curled up with the Pokémon, one arm around, Misty was proud to see, Squirtle. Another Water-Pokémon trainer in bud.  
  
"Yeah, Kim?"  
  
"You make..." a yawn "...a good teacher. Thanks for teaching us so much about Pokémon today."  
  
Misty smiled. A teacher? Imagine me a teacher... "You're welcome, Kim."  
  
"Are you going on to Pallet ..." another yawn "...in the morning?"   
  
"Yes..." Misty hesitated, half-afraid of the way the question hung in the air.  
  
"O..." Yawn "...kay. G'night."   
  
Misty smiled. She wasn't sure how long it would take her to fall asleep tonight, but she was positive that she wasn't going to dream about Ash. She'd dream about something happy, she thought. Rain. Rain was nice and happy. It made the flowers grow. She'd dream about the rain, she decided.   
  
-----------------  
  
"Pikachu's with the bags." Ash climbed  
onto the rock beside her and put his   
arm around her shoulders. "Togepi, too.   
Well," he said softly. "At least it's a  
beautiful sunset they're blasting off   
into. I'm glad it finally stopped raining."  
  
Misty turned in her sleep, the tears slipping to the floor unheard. But her dream continued, and in her dream, she smiled, content just to sit with him again. She knew she was dreaming, and that this had already happened, but she pushed that part aside and let herself fall back into the memory  
  
as the again-defeated Team Rocket disappeared  
into the golden red glow in the distance.   
"Yeah. This is a nice place. And this   
stream makes it a nice place to set up   
camp." She waited and when Ash didn't   
reply, she tilted her head to look at   
him. "Ash?"  
  
He wasn't looking at the sunset. His   
dark head was bowed and she followed his  
gaze to the water. Her eyes connected with  
those of his reflection and her heart   
seemed to beat that much harder when she  
saw the intensity in his face. "Ash...?"   
she repeated.  
  
"Misty. We've been together for some time   
now, and uh..." he seemed to lose his place  
in his own thoughts and she held her breath.   
Surely he wasn't about to say *that* was he?   
She shivered a bit and his arm tightened   
around her as he lifted his face to look at   
the real her instead of the reflection.   
"Uhm. And you've always been there for me...  
from the beginning, I mean. And you're my  
best friend besides Pikachu. No. You're more  
than a friend. I can't tell you how much   
you mean to me. And uhm. I was uh thinking  
recently..." He pulled his arm away and time  
seemed to run backwards as she watched him   
squirm beside her. "About the uhm future   
and stuff and uhm..."   
  
She shivered and woke enough to pull her blanket closer. He looks like he did the day I first met him, she thought wildly and barely half awake. Why didn't I notice that back then? Like a small boy - so determined and yet so very scared.  
  
Ash's face was flushed and she had to bite her  
tongue to keep from "answering him" before he  
even completed his question.   
  
"And uhm, well, I was wondering if you would   
do me the favour of uhmm..."   
  
She leaned closer and reached for him.   
  
"If you would be my second. Y'know, for the  
Pokémon Restoration Act? They know you so   
well, you..." his words were cut off as her   
hand, originally intended for a soft caress,  
shoved him from the rock and into the water.   
She watched him sputter for a moment then   
jumped from the rock to the shore; she   
shifted Pikachu and lifted Togepi slightly   
and managed to free her bag from beneath the  
sleeping Pokémon.   
  
"Hey Misty? What was that for?" Ash hollered  
as he staggered his way to shore. She threw   
her bag over her shoulder and stalked off   
towards a clearing they'd passed on their   
way to the stream. "Misty!"   
  
Serve him right if the Pokémon woke up and   
attacked him for disturbing their naps, she  
thought, an image of an electrified Ash   
being teleported back into the water by the  
battle-exhausted Pokémon made her feel a   
little less angry, but not much better.   
  
She couldn't believe what had just happened.  
Here they were ALONE for once in an extremely  
romantic situation and he asks her if she  
will agree to claim his Pokémon if they ever  
get stolen!  
  
She should keep going and just leave him.   
She'd been traveling with Ash for how long,  
now? And the closest she'd gotten to a   
confession of love was 'You're more than a  
friend.' She should leave and just try to  
forget him. How fitting that she'd pulled  
him from the water at their first meeting,  
because now she would leave with him in   
the water.   
  
Except that she had to go back for Togepi.   
  
And that meant waking him up and trying to  
explain why he couldn't play with the other  
Pokémon anymore, with Pikachu...  
  
She sighed and dropped her bag. Who was she  
fooling? She wouldn't leave. She couldn't.  
And not just because of Togepi.   
  
She did need to get a bit of time for herself  
though, she realized as she heard Ash   
approach. Time to get her act back together.  
She'd been so close to actually admitting   
what she felt for him. She turned at the   
sound of his step behind her and saw that   
he was carrying the still sleeping Pikachu   
and Togepi. He paused, a look of utter   
confusion on his face as he started to   
ask her once again, what was wrong.   
  
"I'll go and uhm, get some firewood, if   
you'll set up the tent. I think it's going  
to rain again tonight." She tried to smile   
and managed a feeble grin.  
  
He nodded slowly, still visibly perplexed,   
as she dropped her bag and ran into the trees.   
Escaping.  
  
Misty's eyes opened and she ran her hands over her face. The dreams... Memories were more like it. What were they trying to tell her? She tiptoed her way across the small room and opened the door. The rain had slowed, but was still softly making it's way down from the bright moon above. Just like that night. She closed the door and wandered back to her sleeping bag, thinking back. It wasn't a bad memory after all. Let's see, she mused...   
  
She gathered the firewood but, unable to actually  
return so soon to Ash's company, she left it at   
the edge of the clearing - not even making sure   
he saw it - and then she was gone again. This   
time to the water where she exhausted herself   
with swimming, she relaxed and floated for a while  
longer, concentrating her remaining energies on not  
straying too far from the bank in the darkness. She  
finally pulled herself from the water, when the night  
really began to settle in. She was wrinkled and pruney,  
but at least she was sure of herself once again. She  
loved water for many things, including the way it  
relaxed her when she was upset. She loved it almost  
as much as she loved Ash.   
  
She tucked the thought back into its box and dressed  
quickly. The wind started to pick up and she could  
almost smell the rain that was indeed on its way. She  
managed to make it back to the campsite before it  
started to fall. Apparently Ash had found the sticks  
she'd left him, as a fire was dancing brightly a few  
feet from the large tent they'd long ago purchased  
against the weather.   
  
"Hello, Ash? I want to apologize for being..."  
her words trailed off as she lifted the tent   
flap and saw only Pikachu and Togepi eating a  
late dinner. She ruffled Pikachu's head and   
warned them against staying up too late   
despite their naps, then grabbed a towel and   
an umbrella and headed back into the rain to  
look for Ash.   
  
She found him sitting on the rock. She stood   
back and watched him for a few moments. Just   
absorbing the image, recording it. As she   
drew near, she saw he was watching his   
reflection again, and she squashed a moment   
of jealousy, but of the water or of him, she   
wasn't quite sure.  
  
"Ash?" She stopped about a foot away from the  
rock. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over  
me..."  
  
"Why don't you leave?" He said it softly, but   
it hit her like a brick wall. He was asking her  
to leave. Her mouth hung open as she stumbled   
to find a response.   
  
"I mean, there have been plenty of towns where  
you've been offered jobs or where you could have  
settled down. Places where you could have gone  
on and done your own thing - followed your own  
dream instead of mine. Why haven't you left me  
yet?"  
  
"Uh." She blinked and couldn't believe the   
relief that flowed through her; she silently   
vowed to kill Ash's grammar teacher the next   
time they were in Pallet. She wasn't sure what  
to say, still, though, in response. He turned   
and faced her.   
  
"Why haven't you left me like all the others?"  
  
She stared at him. He was soaking wet and in  
the dark, it combined with his black hair to  
give him an entirely too-desperate look. She   
didn't know what to say and fell back on the   
one excuse that had served her so well after   
he'd finally offered to restore her bike:   
  
"I want to be a Water-Pokémon Master," she   
whispered and suddenly it sounded a very   
ludicrous idea. A fake answer designed to   
hide a deeper motive. She winced, hoping   
he would accept it as he always had.  
  
He didn't. "You don't battle, Mist. Unless  
you're pushed or taunted, or Team Rocket   
forces your hand."   
  
She wondered how long ago he'd noticed, but  
decided to hold her bluff. "We're never   
anywhere that I can challenge anyone. My   
Pokémon don't fight well outside of the   
water and that means coastal towns and gyms.  
I battled when we were in the Islands."  
  
He frowned at that. "And, since I'm not carrying  
water Pokémon at the moment..." his fragmented  
sentence hung in the air between them. "Thank   
you," he finally said as he jumped from the rock..  
  
Misty fell back asleep, the memory of Ash's words and accompanying smile driving away the tears for the rest of the night.  
  
-----------------  
Misty and her new friends woke almost eerily cheerful. They parted ways in the bright and amazingly dry morning. Mark and Kim heading off to start their adventures and Misty... well. Misty shifted her pack and tried not to remember her current mission. She hoped that it wouldn't be much of an adventure, finding Ash and knocking some sense back into his head. She clenched her fist for a moment, almost able to convince herself that all she had to do was turn the next bend in the road. That she'd see him sitting on some boulder waiting for her, laughing at how long he'd been there. But she made the turn in the road and the one after that and the one after that and he was never there.   
  
Others were, though. Friends she hadn't seen in ages, wanting to know how she was and how was Ash and where was he these days? She was forced to stop and make up something to tell the friends she wasn't close to, and for those who knew better, there was nothing she could do but tell her story. Reactions ranged from pity to worry to confusion and she could understand all of them. From all of them, she brought away a promise that should they run into Ash they would definitely let him know she was looking for him.  
  
Despite how it seemed, not everyone she met was a friend. There were also the strangers looking for directions and perhaps a battle. Sometimes they recognized her - she'd been with Ash at every Indigo League tournament in at least the past six years, and quite a few other televised Pokémon events as well. It was hard to refuse them all, but she managed to battle as little as possible. She blamed it on the Pokémon, on the fact that they were getting irritable and feisty.   
  
Which was almost true. A few days after meeting Kim and Mark, Pikachu began to have trouble sleeping. Squirtle's feet were doing better, but the shoes made him slower than before. And Bulbasaur. Misty never expected to have trouble with Bulbasaur, and so it took her a while to recognize that there was something wrong. They were only a few days out of Pallet Town when she finally noticed that he wasn't eating. She returned from a bath in the lake to find him curled up, hiding half under a bush. When she called him, he didn't move, so she left him there until supper was ready. When he still didn't join her and the others, she carried his food dish to him and set it beside him. He turned towards it slightly, but refused to eat.   
  
Now worried, she offered him everything in her pack and he refused it all. "Bulbasaur? Please?" She was crying. Really crying. She hadn't cried like this since... Help. She had to get help. She reached back into her pack and pulled out her Pokédex, sending a silent prayer of thanks to Professor Oak for the birthday gift so many years ago.   
  
"Many Pokémon become ill from eating wild berries and nuts in areas that are not their natural habitat."  
  
Food Poisoning? She looked from the Pokédex to the lethargic Pokémon and sighed with relief. It wouldn't require a trip to a Pokémon hospital. She scanned the information offered regarding herbs and healing potions that could be made from ingredients in the wild, and then closed the Pokédex once again. Since she didn't know what he'd eaten, the best thing for now, apparently, was just to let his body flush itself out. Well, she thought as she stroked the Pokémon's chin, it looked like they were pitching here for the night.  
  
She didn't mind the extra day it took for Bulbasaur to feel up to walking again. For some reason, the closer she got to Pallet the more afraid she got. There was a feeling of urgency in the air, like if she didn't hurry she was going to lose... to lose... Well, to lose.  
  
And when Misty found herself at the outskirts of Pallet, at the road that led either into town or to the Oak Pokémon Research Lab, she did admit to herself that she was afraid of what she'd find out here. She had a feeling that this was not going to be the ending she was hoping for, but she threw that feeling to the bottom of her aching feet and squashed it. They were finally here! "Lunch can wait a bit, can't it guys?" Misty asked her friends, grinning at the chorus of responses and at Pikachu, who stepped away, leading them down the path. Despite their rumbling stomachs, they headed straight for Professor Oak's front door.   
  
"Professor? Hello!" Misty called as she knocked. "Professor Oak? It's me, Misty..." The door swung open suddenly, startling Misty. The three Pokémon jumped behind her as a tear streaked face loomed up in front of them.  
  
"Where's my son? Where's Ash?" Misty recognized the face and voice as Mrs. Ketchum, and she really began to worry. Ash's mom didn't know where he was?   
  
"Uuhm..." she managed, before Mrs. Ketchum was pulled back into the lab and Professor Oak appeared, no trace of a smile on his face.   
  
"Delia, let the poor girl inside. Sorry, Misty, she's a bit upset at the moment and when the scanner showed it was you at the door, well, we were hoping you had Ash with you. Come in." He looked at the Pokémon peeking out from behind her and his frown deepened.   
  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
-------------------------------  
DISTRIBUTION: Please respect my (limited) copyright and ASK   
permission to borrow this story. This will be posted to my website   
(http://draxonious.tripod.com/), fanfic.net, fanfic.org, the AAMRN   
yahoo group and the PFFML yahoo group.  
  
Please send any feedback to maeyan@mailcity.com 


	4. Chapter Four

Catching Up To You  
(part 4 of 7)  
  
by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)  
  
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods,   
I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc of Pokémon.  
If they're looking for new owners, however I get dibs on Gary!  
  
-----------------  
  
Misty, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pikachu followed the professor through the lab and into his living room. Pikachu climbed onto Misty's lap as she sat down, Bulbasaur and Squirtle taking up positions at her feet. She didn't know what to say. Everyone thought Ash was with her. He wasn't here. Where was he? Maybe Pewter City? Her rambling thoughts were interupted as Professor Oak passed Misty a cup and nudged the sugar pot towards her.   
  
"Let's try to get the whole story together, shall we?" He said, smiling.   
  
Misty gulped her tea, wishing it was something stronger. Wishing she were stronger. She placed her cup back on the table and set Pikachu on the couch next to her, trying to organize her thoughts. Trying to find a way to tell the story.  
  
"It was on our way to the new gym at Yula. We were talking... well, fighting, I guess. You know how we do..." Misty looked up and Professor Oak nodded. "Well, suddenly Ash got this weird look in his eyes. He threw his Pokéballs down and walked away. He said he was tired of it all. I..." She swallowed hard, trying to stop the tears. "We waited a whole week. He left everything, including Pikachu. I thought he was just angry with me for nagging at him. I thought he'd be back. He's never left before, at least never without Pikachu. I... I... I was so sure..." She looked hopefully at Mrs. Ketchum. "We came straight here, hoping he had just come home."   
  
Mrs. Ketchum twisted a tissue in her hands. "I received a letter. He said that he was leaving and didn't know when or if he was coming back. He said it was probably the last letter I would get from him for a while. It was postmarked from Pridion. I wasn't worried until I called the Pokémon center there and they said they hadn't seen him. I... called there because I thought he still had Pikachu, but I guess if he was alone, he could have stayed anywhere..." Mrs. Ketchum's voice trailed off, and Misty knew she too was thinking of the number of hotels and motels in a big city. When you didn't have to worry about places that allowed Pokémon, the number of options available grew dramatically.  
  
"Pridion." Misty's voice reflected how tired she was as she tried to remember the roads that let to that particular city. "It's been a while, but I think it's east of here." She would need a map, but she thought that Pewter was on the way. Brock would help. It would be a long trip, though. She would have to stock up, of course; good thing she had her savings, she didn't have to waste time trying to earn any money. They could start tomorrow morning.   
  
Misty's mental list of preparations was interrupted as Professor Oak returned his cup to the table and stood. "I didn't want to say anything, but when you showed up at my door this morning, Delia... but then with Misty's story. Well, I'm afraid my news is rather more disturbing than what you've both said so far." He led the others to the lab where he stopped in front of a rather large computer. They watched as the Professor punched a few keys, bringing Ash's Pokémon license to the screen.   
  
Misty tried to read the latest notation, obviously added only a few days earlier and therefore long after she and Ash had last visited a Pokémon Center, but felt a tug at her clothes. She looked down to see Pikachu standing on tip-toe. Misty picked up the electric Pokémon and made room for the others to see the screen too. The Professor hit another key and the screen switched from Ash's picture to a list of Pokémon.   
  
"This list of Pokémon are all the ones that were registered to Ash last week."   
  
"Uhm, 'were'?" Misty asked, a horrible thought suddenly forming in her mind. "...'last week'?"  
  
Another keystroke and the screen changed again, this time completely blanking the list of Pokémon.   
  
"Were." Professor Oak nodded. "Ash has petitioned to surrender ownership of all of his Pokémon. It was sent to me for a final certification of Pokémon health."   
  
"Bulba!" The realization hit them all at the same time. "Squir?"   
  
"Piiikaaa? Pikapi?"   
  
Their voices were desperate and soft. Misty could feel the disbelief ringing solidly through Pikachu's small frame, but she didn't know what to say to him. To any of them. Ash giving up his Pokémon? He really meant it? But...   
  
"Pikapiiiiii!" Pikachu jumped from her arms and raced for the door, Bulbasaur and Squirtle paused for only a moment's nod to each other and then followed him out the door.   
  
"Ah, Pikachu! Squirtle, Bulbasaur, wait!" Misty ran after them, pausing for a moment to turn back to the living room and grab her backpack. Professor Oak followed her into the hall, but didn't speak. She reached for his arm. "Please, Professor! Don't transfer them until you hear from me again!"   
  
She took off after the Pokémon before he could respond, only to see Bulbasaur and Squirtle scurry through the front door. She rushed after them and almost collided with a rather tall, auburn-haired young man who was standing just outside.  
  
She stumbled a quick apology as she hurried past and broke into a run; Pikachu was no longer visible and the others were soon out of sight as well. "Everyone, wait! Hey!"   
  
*****   
"Gramps? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Gary walked into the house, frowning. He'd never before received an emergency summons from his grandpa. And if Misty and Pikachu were here, where was Ash?  
  
Professor Oak led his grandson back into the lab and nodded at the monitor; Gary's eyes wandered to the screen. The image split; one side was Misty's photograph and the other side was a long list of Pokémon, starting with Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle. Ash's Pokémon were listed as belonging to Misty? "Gramps? What is going on?"   
  
Mrs. Ketchum turned then and grabbed him, crying onto his shoulder. He hadn't even noticed her standing there until now, and Gary patted her head awkwardly. She burbled the story to him and his frown turned to shock. He had never imagined a day would come when Ash Ketchum would give his Pokémon away and disappear.   
  
Well, he thought, that explained the upset group that almost knocked me down as I came in. I guess Ash didn't tell anyone what he was doing.  
  
A concept Gary found both surprising and puzzling, since Ash was usually so eager to brag and boast, always ready to tell the world how Ash Ketchum was the greatest thing since sliced bread.   
  
As his grandfather pulled the weeping mother away and led her to the guestroom, Gary turned his attention back to the computer. The transfer request was recent and complete. And yes, the date was the same day his grandfather had sent the message requesting his urgent appearance.  
  
"So why has Ash given all of his Pokémon to Misty?" he asked when his grandfather came back into the room.   
  
Professor Oak shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know, Gary. He filed the request in Pridion, Tuesday night. That's when I sent for you. I wasn't too concerned until I saw that it was a permanent transfer and that Pikachu was included in the list." He then relayed Misty's story about Ash's departure. As he listened, Gary went from curious to shocked to angry.   
  
"So he simply left her out there? Alone?" Gary felt a tremendous urge to hit his old friend-turned-rival-turned-friend. "Ash has run off and she's out there trying to deal with his Pokémon and god knows what else..." He paused. "She's going after him, isn't she?"   
  
And suddenly his grandfather looked really tired. Gary wondered how he could have missed the fact that as he'd grown older, so had his favourite relative. The Professor sighed and looked away, staring as if at a memory. "She loves him. Of course she'll go after him."   
  
Gary blinked, not at the words but rather at the way his grandfather had said them. "Gramps? Are you sure *you're* okay?"  
  
"Hmm?" The Professor looked at Gary, blinked once, then smiled, shaking his head. He was back to the 'Gramps' that Gary was used to.  
  
"Yes, sorry, Gary. I'm fine. Just thinking about something that happened a long time ago." He walked back to the computer and began tapping at a few keys. "I can't reverse the transfer of ownership," he began, and Gary stepped to his side, watching the monitor flicker. "But since both Ash and Misty's Pokémon are stored here, at least the Pokémon won't suffer or have to leave."  
  
Gary raised an eyebrow. "Misty's Pokémon aren't stored at the Cerulean City gym?"  
  
Professor Oak shook his head. "Not for years now. Misty lived here for almost a year, when Togepi was sick. She decided then that it was easier to keep her Pokémon here. After that, she's just never switched back."  
  
Gary nodded. "I remember Ash mentioning something about it, now that you say that." Gary grinned and rubbed his chin. "I remember being surprised that he'd actually sent me a real letter instead of just the usual taunting postcards we'd been exchanging for years."   
  
"He sent you a letter?" Gary was happy to see his grandfather was distracted from the tension of recent events by the odd revelation about his two favourite trainers. "Ash wrote a letter? To YOU?"  
  
"Mm. I still have it. Like I said, I was surprised. He said he needed to talk to someone and that I was the only person he could think of. I was in the North Islands at the time and practically starving for human contact, so I wrote him back. We corresponded back and forth for a while, kinda reconnecting our shattered friendship... catching up on each others' lives." Gary shrugged and gave a small grin. "We were rather pathetic and depressed, looking back. They were long letters. I was telling him about me and Rei - we'd just broken up over her decision to go to Pewter, remember that? - and about May getting married and how my Pokémon and I weren't bonding as well as we should have been. He was writing more about himself, Misty, and Togepi, but he also had some stuff about his mom's latest boyfriends, that his dad was..."   
  
Gary stopped, his mouth hanging open for a moment as an idea came to him. He snapped his fingers. "Gramps, did you say the transfer had been initiated at Pridion?"  
  
"Yes. Why?"   
  
Gary felt the most incredible urge to shout with triumph. "Because," he smirked, "I think I know where Ash is heading."  
  
---------------  
  
Misty sat on the bench outside the Pokémon center and considered what she was about to do. She could only hope that Professor Oak had been able to stop the transfer of Ash's Pokémon. After the long trip trying to find Pikachu and the morning's battle with the fearow especially, she needed to get them in to the Pokémon center; they were too far away from Pewter to wait and use Brock's private facilities. She'd also decided that she needed to get her Pokédex updated with Ash's information. She was going to cry if she opened his one more time; his most recent trainer ID photo had caught him in a goofy mood, and the leering grin made her miss him more.   
  
But she wasn't their owner and she didn't need to be arrested for Pokémon theft.  
  
She stood, gathered her resolve and then reached for Pikachu. "Let's go, guys." She pushed open the doors and walked purposefully into the lobby.  
  
"I know that this is going to sound weird," Misty reached the counter and Pikachu jumped from her shoulder. She plopped her bag down and bent to pick up Bulbasaur and then Squirtle. "But can you update two pokédexes with the same information?" She leaned on the counter and smiled her most angelic smile.   
  
The Nurse Joy smiled back. "You mean like, for you and your husband? Sure, as long as you're registered as co-trainers." She lifted the Pokémon from the counter and placed them on a gurney.   
  
Misty's face clouded a bit, but she recovered quickly and reached into her bag for the remaining Pokéballs and the two pokédexes. "Actually, it's a strange set of circumstances. You see, my friend asked me to watch his Pokémon for him, while he went on vacation..." She placed the two red machines on the table. "And I wanted to know if I could get both our pokédexes updated with their current stats. I have their basics and the stats from a while ago already in there- I… I just want them updated."   
  
Nurse Joy reached for the pokédexes. "I'll see what I can do," she said and she pushed the gurney through the doors. Misty turned and started for the rows of chairs, just reaching them when Nurse Joy called her name.  
  
"Yes?" Misty tensed as she walked back to the counter. She still hadn't figured out what to say if she was questioned about her possession of the Pokémon. She was second claimant on his license but what if the Professor hadn't been able to stop the transfer and she was walking around with someone else's Pokémon.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure I had this right: you want me to update Mr. Ketchum's Pokédex with the information on only the Pokémon he transferred to you, right? Or did you want me to update his with the information for all of the Pokémon together?"  
  
Misty felt her knees go weak as the nurse's words sank in. The ones he transferred... to me? "He... uh... forgot to tell me that he'd actually transferred them. He was in a bit of a hurry when he left, so it surprised me that he remembered. Could you go ahead and just duplicate the files for all of the Pokémon. It's easier that way." Nurse Joy nodded and left. Misty headed into the cafeteria.  
  
So, she thought. Ash transferred all his Pokémon to me? He thought this out that far? Or was it Professor Oak? No, she knew it was Ash's doing. And now she knew that he had really meant it when he'd said he was quitting.   
  
The tears slipped silently down her face as she contemplated a future without Ash. She didn't like the idea.  
  
And suddenly she, too, was tired. Very tired of keeping a happy face and holding out hope that everything would be okay. She felt an incredible desire crawl into someone's lap and just cry. Like she had done in her younger days. She wished she could just curl up in bed and blot out the day by hiding under the covers. She wanted someone else to take control. To tell her what to do next. She just wanted to give up.  
  
"Pika?"   
  
She'd been pining into her coke for longer than she thought, she realized, as she saw Pikachu and the others walking towards her. Misty shook her head. They could all be laughing somewhere- maybe on a beach. Ash had mentioned making a return trip to the Orange Islands to see Tracey; they could've been there by now. Not separated, Ash missing and Misty a town away from Pewter hoping like hell that Brock had heard something from him.  
  
The Pokémon climbed into the booth with her. "What does everyone want to eat?" Misty asked, wiping her eyes and hoping her voice wasn't as shaky as it sounded. "We'll stay here tonight and, if we leave early enough tomorrow morning, should reach Pewter by dinner." She saw the hope flicker in their eyes and though they discussed what they might, or rather might not, find at Pewter, the hope remained.  
  
-----------------  
  
"Chuuuuuuu!"  
  
The electric attacks weren't doing much damage, she knew, but she needed to give Bulbasaur more time. She certainly hadn't expected to run across a pissed-off scyther when they'd left the Pokémon center that morning. The tattoos and scars covering the Pokémon identified it as a Dark scyther. Since no one had emerged to challenge her or to direct the Pokémon's attacks, Misty assumed that it was no longer a member of Team Rocket, and had been left to survive, or not, on its own. Misty'd never understood how an organization could so twist a Pokémon that it would remain dark even after it was abandoned.   
"bulba Bulba BULBA !**BULBA**!"  
  
This was a fight for territory on the part of the Dark scyther- and therefore a desperate one for her team. Scyther were dangerous enough, but when turned Dark, a Pokémon's power levels increased at a higher rate. None of her own Pokémon were strong enough to fight it, especially on land. She racked her brains trying to remember what attacks worked against scythers; she'd traveled with one for how long, for goodness sakes. She muttered a silent apology to Tracey for not listening as he'd extolled the virtues of the bug Pokémon.  
  
"Ther!" A tackle attack: Squirtle was down  
  
"Squirrrrr!" And hurt. Misty glanced at him, concerned, but quickly looked back at the enemy Pokémon who had returned to the bushes in hopes of camouflage. Be okay, she murmured silently to the fallen Pokémon, then,  
  
"Pikachu! Try another Thunderbolt!"   
  
In front of her, Pikachu charged up --  
  
"Piii kaaaaa Chuuuuu Chuuuuuu! "   
  
and sent a bolt of electricity flying at the bug Pokémon. "Chuuuuuu!"   
  
If only solarbeam didn't take so long. Bulbasaur was a grass type and had the most advantage, but they'd found out quick that he was outmatched in level. "Bulbasaur! Anytime now, please!" His solarbeam was their last hope.  
  
"Chuuuuuuu!"  
  
Misty gasped as the scyther again used its doubleteam defense to evade Pikachu's attack and headed straight for the wounded water Pokémon. She dove for Squirtle, hoping to grab him and roll to safety.   
  
"Squir!" Misty heard Squirtle's worried yell as she shoved him out of the way, the scyther's wing attack connecting with her leg instead of the water Pokémon. The pain was intense, but Misty managed to push the wounded Squirtle back into the brush and further from the battle. She tried to stand, but fell immediately back to the ground. Her eyes swam with a red haze and she closed them. The sound of the battle raged around her.  
  
"Pika! Piii kaaaaah chuuuuu!" Pikachu screamed at Bulbasaur and let loose another thunderbolt, finally managing to connect and stun the opposing dark Pokémon.  
  
"Bul..." Misty opened her eyes again and managed to focus well enough to see Bulbasaur finally step out from behind the electric mouse, his bulb glowing. Pikachu nodded and jumped aside as the grass Pokémon finally released a beam of solar energy into the belly of the scyther, sending it flying into a nearby tree.   
  
"Po... Pokéb... ball go." She somehow managed to fish an empty Pokéball from her pocket and now, still slightly bleary eyed with the pain, she threw the ball at the weakened bug. She watched until it was in the ball, and only when she was sure that it would stay there did she allow herself to lapse into unconsciousness and another dreamed memory where she could, for a short while, escape her pain.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"Well, little sister. So you brought  
him home at last." Lily smirked and   
cocked an eyebrow from the doorway.   
Misty snorted and closed the oven door.   
  
"He's been here before, Lily." She set   
about chopping more vegetables. Anything   
to keep herself busy. She deliberately   
chopped them larger than her sister   
preferred, hoping to redirect the   
conversation. "How many of these did   
you want?"  
  
It didn't work. "Hmm. Two will be fine.   
And yes, he's been here before, but never   
for Christmas. You usually come alone.   
And then you get all depressed until he   
shows up at New Year's and you two go   
off traveling again."   
  
Misty rolled her eyes and threw the   
vegetables into the pot. "It's nothing.   
We were in the area already. His mother   
is on a holiday cruise somewhere warm,   
and I asked if he'd like to stay and   
celebrate with us." Her big sister's   
look was full of disbelief when Misty   
turned and shooed her from the kitchen.  
Turning back to the food, Misty smiled   
softly. Ash was here and it was going   
to be the best Christmas ever.   
  
Ash was here. She was with Ash.   
  
-----------  
Misty's leg felt as if it was on fire. She was sure of it, in fact, despite the fact that her eyes seemed to be glued shut. She tried to yell, but her mouth wouldn't work either, so she silently struggled, trying to pull it away from the flames.   
  
There was a wall. She couldn't move her foot out of the painful heat because of a soft wall. "Oof. Careful, Brock, will ya? She's struggling again."   
  
"Hold her still. I have to get this changed or the infection will never clear up." Misty kicked weakly at the wall and felt it give slightly. She moaned, trying to muster up the strength to kick again and maybe knock the wall away this time.   
  
"Easy for you to say. *Hold her still* indeed." It was no good. Misty relaxed and waited for the flames to overtake her.  
  
"Do you want to switch places, Gary? I would be more than happy to let you do this!" Cool air hit Misty's leg and the flames died away. She sighed silently.   
  
"Bleagh! No way. I'll just keep my bruised ribs, thanks. Ugh. How can you stomach doing that?" Suddenly Misty's leg was bathed in a cool stream and she smiled. Water. She loved water. That's where she'd met Ash - the water.  
  
"Trust me, you get used to it after a while. The trick is to keep your mind on the next step. Never think too long about what you're actually doing. Here. Hold this end. At least it looks pretty clean." The water was gone and Misty's leg was starting to get warm again. Not flames, no. Not fire warmth. More like a blanket-kind of warmth.   
  
"How deep is it? As bad as we thought?"  
  
"Not really. She'll have a scar. A pretty bad one, too. And she'll need crutches for a while to stay off it. But on the whole, it's not too bad." Misty's brain was starting to process the conversation she was hearing. Brock? Gary? Crutches?  
  
"Then I won't kill him. He'll just hurt a while."  
  
"You'll have to find him first. Okay, you can put her leg down now." Misty struggled against the sleep that was creeping up on her. Him? She wanted to open her eyes, to demand to know what was going on, where she was...  
  
"Oh. I know where he is. I figured it out when I heard he went to Pridion. If Pikachu hadn't run off..." Misty's struggles gave out and she finally fell back asleep, the voices fading into the distance as she retreated back to her dreams.   
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
-------------------------------  
DISTRIBUTION: Please respect my (limited) copyright and ASK   
permission to borrow this story. This will be posted to my website   
(http://draxonious.tripod.com/), fanfic.net, fanfic.org, the AAMRN   
yahoo group and the PFFML yahoo group.  
  
Please send any feedback to maeyan@mailcity.com 


	5. Chapter Five

Catching Up To You  
(part 5 of 7)  
  
by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)  
  
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods,   
I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc of Pokémon.  
If they're looking for new owners, however I get dibs on Gary!  
  
-----------------  
Part five:  
  
It was late and Brock was exhausted. Gary had shown up at his door over ten hours ago with a bleeding Misty in his arms and three of Ash's Pokémon struggling behind him, obviously exhausted and in desperate need of assistance themselves. With Gary's help, he'd managed to get Misty's wound cleaned and stabilized and then contacted Joy for an emergency visit. Only now that he'd been assured that everyone was going to be okay did he turn loose holy hell on Gary.   
  
"I don't know, Brock!" Gary ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Again. Brock refrained from throwing him against the wall. Again. "I told you, Gramps sent an urgent message and when I got there Misty and the Pokémon were running out the door. I didn't see them again until I found her like this!"  
  
Brock tossed his head back and tried to calm down. Misty was like another sister to him and he wanted, no, needed, to know what had happened. "Okay. Let's have a drink and then you can start from the beginning again."  
  
He led Gary into the spacious kitchen and reached up into the cupboard he hadn't opened since the night his last sibling left home. He pulled the half-empty bottle down and filled two glasses to the brim with the amber liquid, then hesitated. Better put the bottle back, Brock, he told himself. She's gonna be okay, you're just scared.   
  
"She's gonna be okay, Brock." Gary's hand cupped the Breeder's shoulder with a reassuring pressure as he echoed Brock's own thoughts. "I found her in plenty of time and you heard Nurse Joy - the Pokémon took good care to keep her stable and safe."  
  
Brock nodded, put the bottle back in the cupboard and turned, handing Gary one of the two glasses. He swallowed more than half of his own drink and forced himself to switch out of desperately terrified parent mode and back into overly concerned friend mode.   
  
"So, tell me what happened. From the top." He walked to the dining room and sat down; Gary followed and sat down with a frown.   
  
"Well, I got the story from Gramps and it was kind of sketchy. Basically Ash and Misty seemed to have some sort of fight and he took off. What doesn't make sense is that he not only left Pikachu and his other Pokémon behind, but he actually had them transferred to Misty." Gary took a small sip of his drink and coughed. "What is this? Bug repellent?"  
  
"Homebrew," Brock answered as he took another long swallow, ignoring Gary's look of absolute horror. "Go on."  
  
"That's pretty much all I know. I think Ash has run away to his dad's place on Gemuoba Island. I just have to figure out why."   
  
Brock drained his glass and stared at his friend. Why did Gary care so much about Ash? "Why?"  
  
"Why?" Gary repeated and Brock nodded and watched as the young trainer swirled a finger around the rim of his glass. Gary shrugged and gave a wry grin. "Because I kinda wonder if I didn't drive him to it. Giving up Pokémon and all. I was pretty rough to him for a while there."  
  
Brock snorted and carried his glass to the sink. "As much as I'm sure you'd like to think otherwise, you are not endowed with godlike powers. I sincerely doubt you had a thing to do with Ash's leaving." He turned and leaned against the counter.  
  
Gary leaned back in his chair and grinned. "Yeah. But I gotta wonder. It had to take something big to make Ash leave Misty after all these years. And without Pikachu?"  
  
Brock nodded. "We'll have to wait until she wakes up to get the rest of the story. Since you were following her, I assume you called Gemouba to find out if he's there?"   
  
"Gramps did. Or rather tried. The receptionist said he wasn't there, and I got the run-around... when I tried calling... calling... " Gary jumped up with a look of absolute horror on his face. "Oh my god. I forgot to call Rei!" He looked around the room frantically, and his eyes lit up as they located the vid-phone in the corner of the room. "Brock, can I use your phone, please?"  
  
Brock waved him towards the contraption and smiled softly.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"I don't understand, hon. Some old friend of yours has left his girlfriend and now you have to go find his father?" Brock was sitting in the living room and he could hear both sides of the conversation clearly.   
  
"No." Gary sighed and Brock had to snicker. He had to. The conversation had been running along the same lines for almost half an hour now. "But he left Misty and his hat and then..."  
  
"His... hat? Gar, if you wanted a boys-night-out, you could've just asked. I'm not going to cry or anything."  
  
Brock knew Gary was about to cry himself, and he was tempted to try to help the young man get his point across. Just tempted, mind you...   
  
"Honey, look. Ash and I have been friends for years. He's been raising Pokémon for as long as I have. Then one day he abandons them, even the Pikachu he's had since we were ten, and disappears... and I need to find out what's wrong."  
  
Uh oh, thought Brock. That was not the best way to put it. Tell a Pokémon therapist that somebody abandoned his Pokémon and expect her to feel sympathy for him?  
  
click  
  
There was silence and Brock shook his head. If he knew Rei at all, and he did indeed know his cousin, he knew what was coming next. He waited. Ten... nine...  
  
"Hon?" Gary's voice cracked just a bit. Brock continued to count... eight... seven...  
  
"She hung up. I'm in trouble. Oh god. Three months of marriage, and I'm already in trouble."   
  
Six... five...   
  
"Hey Brock? Should I call her back?"  
  
Four... three...   
  
"Or will I just get in bigger trouble?"  
  
Two.. one... Brinnnnnnngg Brinnnng... Brock reached for the Breeding Center's cordless telephone at his elbow. "Pewter City Breeding Center. Hello?"  
  
It was Rei. "Hey Brock. This friend of my husband's, Dusty or whatever his name is. You say he's abandoned his Pokémon?"  
  
Brock smiled. She was ticked. She knew Ash's name as well as he did. They'd discussed his Pokémon techniques dozens of times. "Mhm. Apparently so, yes. But, well, only three of them know about it, as far as I'm aware."   
  
"Only three?" Brock could almost hear her turning the situation over in her mind. "And how long have they been with him?"  
  
He frowned, thinking back to when he'd first met Ash. "Well, I believe it's about ten years for all three."  
  
"Hmm. Then I guess they're not taking it too well, are they? Were they close to him?"  
  
"Oh, yes. And they're taking it rather badly." He heard her sigh as he hit a nerve with the therapist.   
  
"And this girlfriend of his? Do they get along with her too? Do they like her?" Gary walked into the room and plopped down in a chair, wide eyed in disbelief. Brock smirked as he realized that Gary didn't know who was on the other end of his conversation.   
  
"They get along fairly well, actually. Like her? No, I'd say it's stronger than that. She's known them almost the same amount of time."  
  
"Is she an okay trainer, Brock? Do I need to file anything or call anyone? I know she's your friend, but I know you and..." she trailed off and Brock smiled.   
  
"Well, she's pretty badly hurt right now, but yes she does know what she's doing. But I don't think that makes it any better for them. She's a water-type only, but she's fairly experienced. A former Gym Leader, you know."   
  
Rei snorted. "Yeah, and you know my opinions on gyms. I'll be over in a few hours. Tell that husband of mine to behave until I get there."   
  
"Alrighty then. Thanks a lot! This means a bunch to me, you know. Bye." Brock pushed the button and placed the phone back on the table. Gary looked up at the sound and frowned.  
  
"Brock? She hung up on me. What do I do? Should I apologize?" He stood and whirled back towards the vid-phone. "I should apologize. Yeah. Apologize. Can I use your phone again? I'll reverse the charges..."  
  
Brock smiled and returned to his paper. "Don't bother. That was Rei on the phone. She's on her way over. Says she can't wait to meet this woman who's raised such protective instincts in you." Brock smiled as he heard Gary's groan.   
  
"But it's just... And Misty's not... Oh man. I'm in trouble."   
  
Brock looked up, but the look in Gary's eye stopped him from continuing his fun. He sighed. It didn't pay, sometimes, to be a good guy. "Relax, Gary. She's coming over to help with Pikachu, Squirtle and Bulbasaur. She doesn't give a damn about a guy who abandons his Pokémon, and she's worried about them, not you. My cousin knows she's got you wrapped around her finger."  
  
Gary relaxed, smiled. Then, "Hey!"   
  
And Brock smirked. Even good guys had to have *some* fun.   
  
  
______________________  
  
Jessie slammed the file drawer shut and glared at the clock. Well, she glared at the space on the wall where she would have put a clock, if she'd had one. She sank into her chair, her glare turning to a sigh as she let her head fall to the desk. She was bored. "Join Team Rocket..." she muttered sarcastically, "file papers, answer telephones... sit alone in a room all day..."   
  
It wouldn't be so bad, she thought, if only people would talk to her. But she'd never made friends very easily, and being stuck away in a corner office didn't help the situation. Most of all, she missed James.   
  
She smiled a bit at the thought of her ex-partner. When they'd finally been called to the carpet for failing to capture any rare Pokémon, let alone the twerp's Pikachu, she'd been worried about what would happen to them. But it hadn't been too bad - Meowth had been recalled to headquarters but she and James had been reassigned here, together: she to the secretary pool and James to the mailroom, where, and this was the part she didn't really understand, he'd quickly become the darling of the entire office. He wasn't too swift in the brain department, sometimes, but he still had people practically lining up to spend time with him.   
  
The phone rang again, interrupting her musings. She reached for it, waving as James walked in at the same time.  
  
"Starship Publishing, this is Jessica. How may I help you?"  
  
****  
  
James waved back, perching on a corner of her desk as he waited for her to finish her call. He enjoyed lunchtime most of all. Not only did he get to spend an entire hour with Jessie, but he got to eat at the same time. He lifted the oversized lunch he'd packed this morning and waggled his eyebrows at his friend. She waved him away, turning her head as she tried to concentrate on the phone call. From the soothing murmurs of her voice, James guessed it was another irate writer. He shook his head and sighed. Poor Jessie. She got yelled at more now that they were legit, than she ever did when they were thieving together. Of course, he thought, when they were on the road, she was usually the one doing the yelling...  
  
He listened as she calmed the caller down and managed to wring from him an idea of what was wrong. She was good, James thought. Too bad she was so bored. Her mind just wasn't occupied enough with this position, as she'd told him more than once. It frustrated him, since he actually liked the idea of steadily working for a living - not worrying about where they'd sleep or if they would even eat that day... He looked again at the lunch in his hands. No one in the office could figure out why he always ate lunch with her. She didn't have many friends... He smiled. She didn't have any friends other than him, and he... He looked back at her as she hung up the phone.   
  
"Ready, Jess?" he asked as she reached under the desk for her "out of office" sign. She smiled at him and his heart flipflopped in the pleasant way he'd long been used to.   
  
He'd never had a giant epiphany or anything. He'd just gradually realized that while Jessie was his best friend she was also more than that. He couldn't even remember when he'd finally admitted it to himself, when he finally acknowledged, simply, 'I love Jessie.' He'd just accepted it as another fact of life (we steal Pokémon, we fail at everything, there's no money for food, I love Jessie) and moved on.   
  
He had wondered, though, why he couldn't tell her. The closest he'd come was when the Boss had been about to separate them and he'd stubbornly refused to leave her side. The Boss had glared at them and finally waved a hand in frustration, sending them both to the publishing house.   
  
Jessie dragging him out of the building brought him back to the present. He knew she'd spent the entire day waiting for lunch: it was her only chance to get out of the building and pretend that she wasn't at someone else's mercy. They found a grassy spot under a tree in the nearby park and sat to eat with gusto. James again was glad that they had steady jobs and could actually eat food that wasn't days old or bought with the knowledge that they would have to wash dishes for a week to pay for it. He wondered briefly if Meowth was having as wonderful a life as he was.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Rei didn't look up when the door opened. She was long used to her older cousin walking in and waiting in silence while she finished her observations; he knew to be quiet and not distract her. Just as she knew not to try to tell him his job. She didn't, this time, ignore his presence for long. She reached over and threw the switch that shut off the speakers between the rooms, her notebook sliding to the floor. Brock leaned over to hand it back to her, frowning as she stuck out her tongue at it.   
  
"Bad session today?" he asked her. His voice was just a bit taut, and she recognized the concern there. He was really attached to these three, she reminded herself.  
  
"I haven't had a good session with them yet." She took the notebook and gathered the rest of her things that had scattered around the room over the past two hours. "They know I'm here. Studying them, watching."   
  
"They've been acting strangely, then?" Brock was looking through the two-way mirror at the Pokémon. Rei spared a glance just in case, and saw they were still in the same positions: Bulbasaur asleep in the tree, Squirtle sunning on a rock in the mock-stream, and Pikachu was sitting under the tree piling rocks into small pyramids and then knocking them down over and again.   
  
Rei shook her head and hefted her materials, heading for the door. "Can't say if it's strange or not. I haven't a clue as to how they normally behave." Brock turned and reached to take the materials from her hands. She submitted to his chivalry and led the now overladen Brock down the hall to the room he'd long ago offered her when she'd needed a place to write her thesis. It wasn't until she was unlocking the door that the idea struck her. She stopped and she smacked her forehead in disbelief.   
  
"Videotapes!" she cried, and Brock bumped into her, fumbling a minute to keep the books and papers from falling from his arms.   
  
"Uhm... Rei? Door? Heavy books? Please?"   
  
Rei looked at him a bit distractedly and then focused sharply on him. "Brock. Do you have any videotapes?" She turned and opened the door, gesturing him in.   
  
He thanked her and proceeded to drop the books and papers on the floor by her desk before dropping into one of the guest chairs with a gusty breath. "Guh. That stuff doesn't look it, but it's heavy. Videotapes? What do you want videotapes for? I though the sessions were already taped?"  
  
Rei was still standing in the doorway. "I'm gonna grab Gary and head down to the Pokémon Center. They might have some. Lock the door when you leave, please? I've got some confidential files in the cabinet, there. Thanks!"   
  
She left Brock staring and bewildered, to track her husband down. It didn't take long; he was just coming out of Misty's room when she reached the door. "Is she awake yet?"  
  
Gary ducked his head and kissed her. "No. She's stopped thrashing about so much, though. Which is good, because if I have to change one more bloody sheet, I'll go crazy."  
  
Rei smiled, and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You are such a good nurse. Remind me to hire you when I get sick." Gary pulled her closer and sighed.   
  
"You never get sick. And here I was counting on this Nurse-gig to buy that new Porygon I saw Brock bring in yesterday."   
  
Rei laughed. "Isn't one Porygon enough for you, husband mine?" She laughed again at his aghast expression.   
  
Gary pulled back and clutched his chest with both hands. "Enough? Pokémon? There's no such a thing!"  
  
Rei snorted and grabbed his hand. "Come on, you big ham. I want to go to the Pokémon Center and I think I'm gonna need your help."  
  
Gary let himself be tugged along. "Why do you need my help at the Pokémon Center? Didn't you practically live there while you and Brock were working on that series of articles a few years back?"  
  
"Ye-es," Rei admitted as they left the Breeding Center and crossed the street towards Main. "But I need your help, still. I want to look up some videos of your friend Ash and his Pokémon."  
  
"Ahh. Well, I doubt there will be much other than league stuff." Gary stopped and turned her back towards the parking lot of the Breeding Center. "I've got to return May's car, so let's go to Gramp's place and see what he's got."  
  
---------------------------------------  
When her eyes finally fluttered open, Misty found herself lying on a familiar looking bed.   
  
"Oh, good. You're awake." Brock walked into the room and suddenly Misty knew exactly where she was. Susie's room in the Pewter City Gym. She'd stayed here a couple of times when they had spent the night with Brock's family. She wondered briefly where Susie was now, and watched silently as Brock set down the bowl he was carrying. He reached out a hand and felt her forehead.   
  
"Yay, no more fever. I'll be right back. Can you try and stay awake this time?"  
  
Misty nodded slowly, feeling like her head was full of the rocks this town was famous for. Brock left and came back a moment later carrying a handful of gauze. Misty was surprised to see Gary right behind him.  
  
"...then I might escape without being damaged this time?" Gary was asking Brock as they came into the room. He stood by her bed and looked down at her, his eyes showing concern. "Hey. How are you feeling today?"  
  
Misty didn't know why he would be concerned for her, but then she didn't know how she'd gotten to Pewter either. She tried to speak, but her mouth was dry. She swallowed a few times and finally managed to croak a sound.  
  
Gary sat on the edge of the bed, propped her up her slightly with his arm, and offered her a cup of water. "Here. Now let's try that again, shall we?" He smiled as she drained the contents.   
  
Misty handed him back the empty cup and he let her sink into the bed again. "I'm fine." she managed to make the reply sound like real words this time. "But how did I get here?"   
  
Brock sat at the end of the bed and looked at her. "What do you remember?"  
  
Misty thought for a moment, her eyes darkening as she tried to remember. "We were ambushed by a Scyther..."  
  
Gary whistled. "So that's what it was. I was wondering what could do that much damage." He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "But wild Scyther travel in tribal-packs, and they don't attack unless provoked."  
  
Brock nodded. "And besides, there aren't any around here. In Pewter, you have to register Scyther with the gym, even if you're just traveling through. So I would know if a trained one was around."  
  
Misty shrugged, drinking the second cup that Gary handed her. "It was a dark Scyther. Abandoned and looking for food. We..." Misty's eyes widened. "The Pokémon! Ohmygod! Pikachu, Bulbasaur and Squirtle! Where..." She made as if to get up, but Gary placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, angry. He caught the look and raised his hands in defense.  
  
"Don't worry. They're in the next room. That's as far as they would let us put them. They wanted to stay in here with you, but we convinced them it wasn't a good idea."   
  
Brock smiled. "They're fine. You however, are not. And we need to change that bandage." Bandage? Misty had no idea what Brock was talking about and said so. He stood and lifted the blanket from her feet, Misty ever so glad to find that she was still in her clothes. Gary sighed and looked at her pleadingly.   
  
"Please don't kick me this time, okay?" He stood and sat where Brock had been, lifting her leg against his chest. Misty was surprised to see her leg almost completely swathed in gauze. Brock knelt on the floor and started to unwrap the bandage, revealing a long jagged wound that ran from her thigh to her calf. She gasped and wondered why she hadn't realized it was even there. Surely she would feel something like that?  
  
"But... how..."  
  
Gary shook his head. "You should have seen it two weeks ago. I found you lying in the dirt, bleeding. Bulbasaur was trying to hold the wound together with his vine whip, and Pikachu was trying to hold Squirtle up enough to use watergun and wash out the dirt. Luckily I had borrowed a car, so I drove you straight into town where Brock bandaged you up."  
  
"Two... two weeks? I've been asleep that long?"  
  
Brock shrugged as he worked. "Well, for some of it. Some of the time you were just delirious. Or screaming." He reached for a bowl and Misty watched, fascinated, despite herself. "Or crying. That was the most disturbing, I'll tell you." It was like it was happening to someone else, she felt so disconnected.   
  
"You had an infection and a fever. It's just a matter of waiting for it to finish scarring over, now." Brock continued, as he used the water to clean off the skin near the wound. "Just wait until you start trying to walk on it."  
  
Misty looked at her leg as Brock wrapped it in fresh gauze, looser this time, she knew, to allow the wound to breathe. Two weeks. That meant she was now almost a month out of Pallet Town. She threw her head back to the pillow and groaned. The sound caused both men to look at her.  
  
"Does it hurt?" Gary asked softly, still holding her foot. Misty thought a moment and shook her head. Her leg? No, that wasn't what was hurting. She turned her face to the wall and tried not to think about it. To not cry.  
  
Brock's voice piped up. "It had better not." He taped the last of the gauze and stood as Gary released Misty's leg. "Joy said those painkillers would work miracles, and I don't want to be the one to tell her she was wrong." He gathered up the old bandages and the medical supplies and turned towards the door. Gary stood and followed.  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu appeared in the door, hesitant, shadowed by Squirtle and Bulbasaur. Brock waved them into the room.  
  
"She's awake, guys. You can go in now."  
  
"Squirrrrtle Squirrr Squir Squirtllle!" Squirtle pushed past the others and ran into the room, leaping onto the bed to hug Misty. "Squirrrrrr!"  
  
That did it. The tears started and Misty hugged the turtle hard, then reached for Bulbasaur and Pikachu. Bulbasaur jumped to the bed, but Pikachu held back. She looked at him, standing, twisting his paws.   
  
"Pikachu, what's wrong?" She sniffled, her hand still outstretched. She waved at him. "Come on, there's room..."  
  
Pikachu just looked at her, his eyes big and sad. "Pika, pikapikapi pik. Pikachu pi pi pika pii."  
  
Misty tilted her head, her tears forgotten as she tried to understand what was wrong. "What is it, Pikachu?"  
  
"He says he's sorry that he got you hurt." Misty looked up at Gary, who'd come back into the room bearing a tea tray. "He thinks it was his fault... because he ran away and you were off course because of looking for him... that you got hurt." He set the tray on the bedside table and looked down at Pikachu. "I tried telling him that it wasn't his fault, but he's almost as stubborn as his trainer."  
  
Misty blinked. His trainer. Ash was Pikachu's trainer. She looked at the Pokémon and shook her head. "Pikachu." She sighed. "It's not your fault." She reached over and picked him up by the scruff of his neck, placing him on the bed with her. He tried to shuffle away, but she pulled him into her, tight. "It's okay. I never blamed you."   
  
Gary let them hug a moment then cleared his throat. "Okay, everyone. Brock has your lunch ready in the Breeding Center... let Misty eat hers. You can spend more time together later." The Pokémon gave Misty a final hug and left the room. Misty waved and then turned to Gary with a puzzled look on her face.   
  
"So." She took the tray he handed her and raised an eyebrow. "I guess I should thank you for bringing me here." She looked at the food heaped onto the tray and, deciding that the soup was the only thing she could keep down, passed him the plate of sandwiches. "I guess it was lucky for me that you were passing this way?" She glared at him as he held out a pill.  
  
"Here, painkiller." He answered her look with one of his own. "When Gramps received Ash's Pokémon transfer, he called me. So yes, I was following you."   
  
Misty sipped her soup slowly, then. "How come you're so nice all of a sudden? Usually you're gruff and distant and..." she waved her hands wildly to emphasize her words. "All mysterious-like. Uppity."  
  
Gary blinked. "Uhm... Well. I thought I was always a nice guy. When haven't I been nice?"   
  
She blushed and ducked her head. "Well, you're always calling Ash a loser, and making fun of him. Taunting him... leaving nasty notes..."  
  
Gary grinned. "Yeah. But Misty, we've been doing that since grade school... trying to top each other. We're still friends."  
  
Misty glared at him "It's a sick friendship, then." Misty turned down the power on her glare when Gary nodded.   
  
"I'd change it if I could, Misty. But Ash and I... We're too alike to really ever get along." He stared into space for a minute. "I think we both know it, really. But still..." He looked back at her, taking another sandwich from the tray. "The rivalry keeps us both on our toes... keeps us fresh."  
  
"Until now." Misty's face fell away, and Gary nodded slowly.   
  
"We'll talk more about that later. You done?" He pointed to the tray and she nodded. "Good. Brock promised to kill me if I brought back a full tray. You get some sleep, okay?"  
  
Misty looked at him again. "That's another thing. You and Brock... you seem to be getting along very well?"  
  
"Yeah. Well, I did happen to meet him before you did, you know." Gary smiled as he stood and took the tray. "But besides that, he happens to be my wife's cousin, so we see each other quite a bit."  
  
Misty's eyes popped. "WIFE? But you.. you're the.. the same... age as..."  
  
"Ash. Yeah, I know." Gary nodded. "You can meet her later. She works with abandoned and abused Pokémon, so she's been helping with Pikachu and the others. " He started to leave the room and stopped, turning back to her with a slow grin. "Y'know... I probably met Rei about the same time you and Ash met, so I guess that's one more thing for him to catch up to me on..."  
  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
-------------------------------  
DISTRIBUTION: Please respect my (limited) copyright and ASK   
permission to borrow this story. This will be posted to my website   
(http://draxonious.tripod.com/), fanfic.net, fanfic.org, the AAMRN   
yahoo group and the PFFML yahoo group.  
  
Please send any feedback to maeyan@mailcity.com 


	6. Chapter Six

Almost done.... :)  
  
Catching Up To You  
(part 6 of 7)  
  
by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)  
  
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods,   
I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc of Pokémon.  
If they're looking for new owners, however I get dibs on Gary!  
  
  
-----------------  
  
Part six:  
  
Rei hit the mute button and threw the remote to the couch. This case   
was making her crazy. Ash seemed to enjoy being with his Pokémon.   
They enjoyed being with him. Why did he leave? He was good with them -  
better than many seasoned masters she'd seen, worked with over the   
years. What would make a great trainer suddenly abandon his beloved   
Pokémon?  
  
She paced the room. Point one: He'd abandoned Pikachu. Pikachu was   
Ash's first Pokémon. An unusual match-up. She'd ask Brock about  
that, but he'd stuck to the story that Oak had run out of Pokémon by the time that Ash had finally arrived at the Selection room. Rei thought it was funny since usually the Selection sites researched their kids and knew exactly how many were coming of age that year. And hadn't Brock just been trying to calm down 9 bulbasaurs, 2 squirtles and 5 charmanders, all of whom had been sent *back* from the local Selection Centers as un-chosen "firsts?" 'Notice any pikachus?' she'd wanted to ask, but hadn't.   
  
So, point two: Professor Oak thought he was special enough to be   
given a Pikachu, a notoriously difficult Pokémon to train. Which  
led immediately to points three -the professor monitored Ash's career   
more closely than he did any one other than his own grandson, and   
four -the Great Professor Samuel Oak was also worried about Ash's   
sudden disappearance.  
  
And the big points. Five: why would someone who was so famous in the   
Pokémon world leave it? He hadn't a reason in the world to leave -  
he was a well know trainer for all that he hadn't yet made Master level.  
  
And six: the man loved Pokémon. Plain and simple. It was evident   
everywhere she looked.   
  
So adding up all those points, she just couldn't figure out why Ash   
had abandoned his Pokémon. And without that, she was having a hard   
time trying to help the suddenly bereft Pokémon.   
  
So she watched the tapes again. And again. She stopped pacing and looked at the now-muted scenes flickering across the television screen. It was one of the later tapes: from only 3 years ago, at the Indigo League games. He'd made it into the top-4 that year and Rei found herself holding her breath as "the moment" of his defeat came to pass and he stopped the battle. The other trainer's Pokémon had  
collapsed on the field while trying to evolve. She watched Ash recall his Pokémon, forfeiting the match, and jump from the trainer box. The medical crew swept in and the "winner" pokemon was whisked onto a gurney and off the field, Ash and the trainer both running along side it.   
  
-----------------------  
  
"Yes, I am."   
  
"No, you're not."  
  
Rei carefully cut her steak and sighed. She and Brock had already   
discussed the day's events, the food, family, the weather, the latest   
advancements in Pokémon care, and the latest news from Indigo. Now   
there was little else to do but actually listen to Gary and Misty   
argue. She turned to look at Brock again, but he was whistling a soft   
tune, if a bit desperately, and blocking them out. He looked at her   
and smiled.  
  
"I've had a good deal of experience, Rei. Misty and Ash fought all   
the time," he said before resuming his musical interlude.  
  
She twisted her lip and wished she'd learned how to whistle.  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"No, you're not."  
  
She turned back to her steak and plopped a piece in her mouth,   
chewing slowly. She knew her husband was stubborn, and yet she also   
knew that Misty was definitely going on the trip. If she were in   
Misty's place, she'd go. And she'd finally gotten enough of the story   
from the Pokémon to know that Misty and Ash were in love with each other. She'd found it interesting that they referred to Misty as their owner with just the same amount of love as they did Ash. Maybe she could write a paper on the behaviors and allegience of Pokémon of trainers who become involved with each other?   
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"No, you're not."  
  
Rei wondered if Gary knew that's what the argument was really about.   
He wasn't too sharp on matters of the heart, was her man. Her mind   
drifted off, recalling the awkwardness of their own courtship, but a   
sharp pounding on the table quickly brought her back to the present.   
She looked to see Misty standing, reaching for her crutches.  
  
"Yes, I am, Gary Oak. Just try to stop me!" Misty issued him one of   
what Brock had called her 'try it and die, mister' death glares and   
Rei smirked as Gary frowned his oh-so-familiar 'I'm doing this for   
the best' glare right back at her. Misty ignored his look and hobbled   
her way towards the door.  
  
"Misty!" Gary thundered. "You are not going anywhere! You stay here   
and rest. When I find him, I'll bring him here. In pieces if I have   
to..."  
  
Bad move, lover mine, Rei thought as she chewed. She knew how well   
Misty would take that statement. Rei shook her head and speared   
another piece of steak as Misty stopped and turned slowly around.   
This was getting silly and Rei wondered briefly how much longer this   
argument would continue...  
  
"STOP!"   
  
Rei blinked. Okay. That answers that question, she thought as she turned to look at her usually laid-back cousin.   
  
Brock was holding his hands over his ears, his face a rather pale shade of red. "Stop arguing! Gary, you and Misty will leave in the morning. Together. Your supplies are all packed and everything is ready."   
  
Have been for a week, Rei added silently. About when this whole   
argument began, actually.  
  
Gary shook his head. "Brock, I really don't think that Misty should   
be traveling, yet." Gary wasn't willing to argue with his host, but   
he apparently felt his point was valid. Rei shook her head. Time to   
shut her husband down, move in for the kill.  
  
"She's fine, hon. In a few weeks she'll be ready for just a cane."   
Rei smiled at Misty, winked woman-to-woman. "Besides, it's best for   
the Pokémon if they're allowed to help look for Ash. They already   
feel bad because he left them. If they stay here they'll just get   
more depressed, maybe even run away again." That would work. If the   
Pokémon got upset, Rei would be upset. And that would make Gary   
*very* upset. She would see to it; she sent him a look that promised   
as much.  
  
"Ugh," Gary groaned, reading the look in her eyes and throwing his   
hands up in defeat. "Fine. Whatever. She can go."   
  
"Good. Now that that's settled..." Brock smiled. "Anyone for dessert?"  
  
-------------------  
  
Jessie sighed. The sunlight felt good on her face and she closed her   
eyes as she walked the familiar path from her tiny apartment to the   
office. She smiled despite the fact that she was headed for another   
day in 'the tomb,' that nobody liked her and that her shoes were too   
tight: James had promised a surprise for lunch. It was amazing what   
you could put up with when you were in love.  
  
She stopped. In love. With James? Where did that come from? She shook   
her head. Obviously she needed to get out of the sun, find something   
to drink. It had been rather hot these past few weeks...   
  
A noise across the street attracted her attention. It was the Pewter   
City Breeding Center.   
  
Originally, the whole idea of a publishing house in the town was   
simply a cover for a base from which to monitor the breeding center.   
As time passed, however, the publishing business became profitable in   
its own right and, aided by the fact that Brock's security was, ahem,   
rock solid, the idea of stealing from the breeding center soon fell   
into the discard pile. Starship Publishing was now a legitimate   
business venture that just happened to be owned and operated by   
Giovanni Industries. Only a handful of the current employees even   
knew about the Team Rocket association.  
  
And one of them was now hiding in the shadows, intensely watching the   
front door of the Breeding Center.  
  
-------------  
"Bye now! Have fun!" Brock was waving and smiling, and Rei was about   
to hit him, esteemed colleague and beloved relative, or not.   
  
"Brock. They haven't left yet." She hollered at him for the third   
time in ten minutes. "Will you please stop saying that?" She stepped   
forward and hugged Misty. "Good luck! I hope you knock some sense   
into your boyfriend." Misty blushed but returned Rei's smile.   
  
"Hey. Don't I get a hug?" Gary pouted. Rei turned to him giving her   
husband a tighter and longer squeeze. "Hurry up and find your friend.   
I want you home soon, do you hear me?" She winked, causing Gary to   
blush as well.   
  
"Bye now! Have fun!" Brock waved again and Rei punched him lightly. "Okay. Uh..." He looked around. "Everyone ready?" He noticed   
Misty adjusting her crutches and frowned. "Misty, aren't you going to   
call the Pokémon back into their Pokéballs?"  
  
She looked up at him, frowning. "No, Brock. Why would I? They want to   
help."  
  
Gary sighed, looking up from his watch. "Because it will take less   
time if they travel in their balls. Plus we won't have to carry as   
much." He waved at the large satchel on his back. He was carrying all   
the supplies until Misty could walk on her own.   
  
"Well, if we were taking a CAR we wouldn't have to carry anything and   
we'd get there in HALF the time." Misty glared at him and to Rei's   
dismay Gary took up the challenge in her voice.  
  
"Bye now! Have fun!" Brock waved again and, his smile wavering, edged   
towards the door of the Center. Rei hung her head in her hands and   
followed him. She couldn't believe how easily Gary fell into these   
fights with Misty. She shut the door as her husband's voice started   
in.   
  
"For the last time, it was MY SISTER'S car, not mine! I can't just go   
out and BUY A CAR just because your stupid LOSER boyfriend ran away!"  
  
"He's NOT stupid and it's all YOUR FAULT for calling him a loser all   
the time! I don't even know why I am going on this stupid trip with   
YOU! I should just go by myself!" Misty started off down the road,   
the Pokémon following.   
  
"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Gary ran after her and pulled her to a stop. "I   
don't want to have to go looking for two..."   
  
"Chuuuuu!" His sentence was cut short as Pikachu's thundershock sent   
him to the ground.   
  
"Pikachu, stop that this instant!" Misty hollered, and the electric   
mouse looked confused.   
  
"Pikapi Pikachu pipi! Pi!" He sent a smaller shock in Gary's   
direction, not quite strong enough to actually connect with the young   
man.  
  
"I know, Pikachu, but he's a friend now. He's gonna help us find Ash,   
so we have to be *nice* to him." She waited as Gary stopped   
twitching. "You okay, Gary?"  
  
Gary raised his head and nodded, opening his mouth to release a puff   
of smoke. "And here I thought I was getting along with him better   
now."  
  
Misty grimaced. "Sorry about that. Pikachu still thinks of you as a   
bad guy apparently. "   
  
Gary copied her expression. "I guess I'm gonna have to earn his trust   
then." He sat up, coming eye to eye with the yellow Pokémon. "Eh   
Pikachu?" He patted Pikachu's head and   
  
"Chu..."  
  
was rewarded with a small thunderbolt.   
  
"Pikachu! What did I just tell you?"  
  
----------------------  
  
Jessie didn't stay for anymore. She kicked off her shoes and ran the   
rest of the way to the office. She passed by her tiny room and headed   
straight to the mail office.   
  
"JAMES!"  
  
  
The entire room turned. Jessie stood wide-eyed in the doorway; her   
blouse had come open a few buttons and her hair was wild around her   
face, her shoes were in her hands and her breathing was heavy. The   
sight made quite a few of the men catch their own breath and James   
frowned at the sound. He walked to the door, pulling her down the   
hall and out of sight.  
  
"Jessie? What's wrong? Did something happen to you..."  
  
But Jessie interrupted him, her eyes sparkling like they hadn't in   
months. "James! It's wonderful! Wonderful! It's our chance to get out   
of here! The boss will be so proud! And we can have our old jobs   
back! And I won't have to sit in that dark and lonely room anymore   
and you won't have to sort the stupid mail... It'll be just like the   
old days... And we can get Meowth back and..."  
  
James took her by the shoulders and shook her. "Jessie! Get hold of   
yourself!" She finally broke from his grasp and stepped back. "What   
are you talking about, Jess?"  
  
She swallowed a few times and managed to calm down enough to tell him   
what she had seen and what her plan was. James watched her face as   
she spoke and realised that as much as he wanted to stay here, she   
really wanted to leave. And that meant only one thing:   
  
"Let's do it Jessie!" He tried a smile as he materialized a rose from   
behind her ear. "Let's capture Pikachu!" He handed the flower to her   
with a bow.  
  
_________________________  
  
Misty reached for her cane again and headed outside. Gary had sent   
her on to the store for supplies while he and Pikachu checked into a   
nearby hotel. She'd argued that the Pokémon Center was cheaper,  
but quickly gave up the fight when he'd offered to pay. They'd spent the last week walking from Indigo to Pridion so Misty was only too happy to let Gary be the big boss-man today. Besides, she had a feeling that Ash wasn't here anymore. She ran into Gary standing just outside the Pokémon center, staring in disbelief at a fast disappearing object in the sky.   
  
"Gary? What's going on? I thought you were going to check us in at   
the hotel?"  
  
"Why didn't he listen?" Gary didn't seem to hear her, so she tugged   
at his sleeve to get his attention. He turned to her. "It's like he   
*wanted* to be taken!"  
  
Misty frowned. "What are you babbling about Gary?" She looked around   
and a small niggling fear rose in the back of her mind. "And where's   
Pikachu?"   
  
Gary blinked at the sharp tone in her voice and finally seemed to   
recognise her presence. He shook his head. "Some guy with purple hair   
and a woman with long scary-looking red hair just landed in this   
balloon..."  
  
"What!" Misty screamed as she realized what had apparently just   
happened. "How could you just let Team Rocket take Pikachu?"   
Gary blanched.  
  
"I didn't 'just let'." Gary protested softly. "Pikachu was giving me   
a hard time. As usual. Then these two characters show up in weird   
costumes and they're talking about devastating rockets of love or   
something..."  
  
Misty glared at him. "I. Know. The. Motto." Her words were   
sharp. "WHY didn't you try to stop them?"   
  
"What? You think I was born yesterday? Of course I tried to stop   
them." He threw his hands in the air. "Pikachu wouldn't listen to a   
damned word I said!"  
  
Misty looked like she was going to explode, but her voice was   
deceptively calm. "Well, Mister I'm-such-a-fabulous-Pokémon-trainer,   
of course not! Why didn't you use some of your own Pokémon?"  
  
Gary shook his head, pointing at the no-Pikachu not-standing beside   
him. "I had a perfectly good Pikachu right there! Why bother with   
another Pokémon?"  
  
"Because he doesn't like you!" Misty screamed again. She dropped her   
head into her hand and leaned against her cane, suddenly sounding   
very tired. "And he never listens to people he doesn't like. Not even   
Ash, if they're fighting." Her voice was softer now, and she felt if   
she had used up all her strength in screaming at him.   
  
Suddenly Misty was laughing.   
  
"What's so funny?" She heard Gary ask, and she looked up.   
  
Seeing his uncomprehending look, she laughed even harder, and finally   
fell, wheezing, to the ground "Ow oh hahhahhah! Ow ow." She clutched   
her stomach and, still laughing, grabbed for his hand.  
  
"Did...did..." She tried to stop laughing and finally managed to   
squeak, "Did they release their Pokémon at all?"  
  
"Uh... They had Pokémon?"   
  
She fell into another round of giggles and guffaws. He sat down next   
to her and waited until she finally she stopped laughing.   
  
He looked at her. "Done? Now can you tell me what was so funny?"   
  
Misty smiled back leaned against him, pushing slightly "Team Rocket   
has been trying to capture Pikachu since Ash's first week in   
training. Well, Jessie and James have been trying. And Meowth. But   
they're the most inept bunglers ever put upon the earth. Most of   
their attempts involved digging holes in the road or giant remote-  
controlled robots." She used his shoulder to stand up. "Needless to   
say, in ten years they never managed to take Pikachu from *Ash*." She   
started down the road to find the police station.  
  
Gary shook his head and snorted as he stood to follow her. "Ha ha.   
But seriously, why would Team Rocket want Pikachu? I mean, no offense   
and all, but he's just a Pikachu and they're not that rare." Misty   
stopped and reached behind him for her bag, pulling out her  
Pokédex. Flipping it open, she pressed a few buttons and finally pointed at the stats for the little electric mouse they were currently missing. Gary whistled and Misty nodded.   
  
"Yeah. That's why they want him. He's past the maximum power levels   
of any other recorded Pikachu. He's even more powerful than quite a   
few Raichu we've met." She put the Pokédex back in the bag and  
they resumed walking. "Professor Oak says he doesn't even know for sure what evolutionary level Pikachu is at anymore. And it doesn't help that all Ash's Pokémon seem to learn new attacks without regard to their evolutionary level. I mean, look at Bulbasaur..."  
  
Gary looked at her. "What about Bulbasaur? He seems okay, if a bit   
surly."  
  
Misty tilted her head and then nodded. "Yeah, I can see how you'd   
think that. But he's really great. He was abandoned by his first   
owner, so he's kind of a loner." She shook her head. "But as for   
attacks... He's got solar beam, which is a level 41 attack, right?"   
She looked at Gary, and he nodded.   
  
"But," she continued. "He doesn't know Sleep Powder. And that's   
usually a level 20 attack!"  
  
Gary walked in silence for a moment. "Well, maybe Ash just needs   
to..."   
  
But Misty cut him off with a shake of her head. "Nope. Ash has tried   
everything. Bulbasaur just won't learn it yet. It's almost like he's   
afraid he'll forget something if he learns something new. They're all   
like that. All of Ash's Pokémon - they just learn at their own  
pace. And as a former gym leader, I think I'm safe in saying that that makes them extremely rare and valuable."  
  
She brought the point back home, sharply, and he nodded, holding open   
the door to the police station.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
"So. They finally managed to capture you. That's just too ironic for   
words."   
  
The voice was a familiar one and Pikachu turned to find Meowth just   
on the other side of the cage. He'd been wondering about the mouthy   
feline's absence. "Where've you been?"   
  
"The boss sent James and Jessie out on a permanent assignment in   
Pewter City and I went back to Viridian." The cat extended a claw and   
advanced towards the cage.  
  
"Viridian City?" Pikachu asked as he backed up as far as the small   
cage would let him. He didn't believe Meowth would actually hurt him,   
but he was a caged mouse after all.   
  
"Yeah. But the boss rebuilt the headquarters in a set of caverns   
below the city. Anyway, that's not why I'm here." The enemy  
Pokémon reached for the door of the cage and stuck his claw into the lock. After a small click he pulled back, the door swinging open.   
  
"What are you doing?" Pikachu asked, amazed at the turn of events,   
but Meowth just shrugged it off.  
  
"Letting you go. I don't know how those two bunglers," he waved   
towards the tree where Jessie and James were currently sleeping,   
huddled together under their only blanket, "finally managed to   
capture you, but it won't do them anything but more harm, so I'm   
setting you free."  
  
"I don't want to wake them yet. I want them to get a good night's   
sleep before I tell them this." He looked up at the night sky and   
sighed. Pikachu pondered the difference in the usually brash and   
egotistical Pokémon; he seemed suddenly to have become a  
Pokémon again.   
  
Like me, thought the mouse. Like maybe his world too has been turned upside down.   
  
No. Not really upside down. Pikachu shook his head softly. Yes, he'd   
spent ten years with Ash, and yes he missed him badly, but that did   
not excuse his running away from Misty.   
  
"...and so Giovanni put up with them. He had no real choice, even if   
they never knew it. This last assignment was supposed to keep them   
busy and out of trouble, as well as out of his hair. Plus he had some   
sort of master plan brewing and he wanted to be sure that all of his   
Rockets were inline and not out tomcatting around."  
  
Pikachu blinked as Meowth's words broke through. "Master plan? What   
is it?"  
  
Meowth looked at him in disgust. "Do you really think that if the   
plan was still viable that I'd even be sitting here talking to you   
about it?"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Meowth frowned, then stood and walked a bit away. "Giovanni died last   
week." He shook his head. "I don't know what's gonna happen with Team   
Rocket now, and I don't care. There are some heavy dealings going on   
that I don't think even Giovanni knew about. And I never did agree   
with the whole "Dark" Pokémon concept that Neo Team Rocket is   
concentrating on. I looked at the files before I left..." Meowth   
continued. "Trying to find these two. I called, but they'd gone -   
hadn't shown up for work in days. I was scared - they're my best   
friends in the whole world, and I didn't know if they were alive or   
dead. So I came after them."   
  
"And you released me because...?"  
  
"There's really no point to keeping you if we're not Team Rocket." He   
turned to look questioningly at me. "By the way, how *did* they   
manage to finally capture you?"  
  
Pikachu shrugged. "So much has happened to me recently. I'm just so   
confused. Ash has disappeared and transferred me to Misty, and while   
I have nothing against Misty... well, I'm upset because Ash left me.   
We were a team - we were one unit. Nothing was too much for us, or so   
I thought." Pikachu sighed.   
  
"I suddenly just felt so angry at everyone. I'd already run away   
once. Tried to find Ash on my own. And ended up getting lost. Misty   
rescued me and then because we were off the regular trail, trying to   
make up time, we were attacked by a psychotic scyther. His trainer   
was a member of Team Rocket, by the way."  
  
Meowth rolled his eyes up. "Yeh. Obviously one of our brightest to   
have abandoned his Pokémon."   
  
"Mm. No comment. I'm just so... upset, you know? Ash and I... well,   
we've pretty much grown up together. I don't know what happened. One   
day every thing is fine and the next - bam - Ash is gone, Misty is an   
emotional wreck, I'm in therapy for depression and separation anxiety   
and Ash's main rival is giving me orders like I'm his." Pikachu gave   
a short, bitter laugh. "So when Jessie and James showed up I just   
jumped into the cage and let them take me. Figured that I should be   
with the ones who want me."   
  
Meowth let the silence hang in the air a moment, shaking his   
head. "You know, I never thought you were the type to run away from a challenge." He looked at the sleeping Jessie and James. "Running isn't your thing. You need to go back and fix what you can and live with the rest of it." He turned to Pikachu. "Go back, then find the twerp. If he says he doesn't want you around anymore, fine. But I bet you'll find there's something else going on. You two have been together too long. And I can't believe your story is gonna end like this. You two have a destiny that's still out there waiting for you."   
  
Pikachu stared at Meowth for a moment, then grinned and ran into the   
trees.  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
-------------------------------  
DISTRIBUTION: Please respect my (limited) copyright and ASK   
permission to borrow this story. This will be posted to my website   
(http://draxonious.tripod.com/), fanfic.net, fanfic.org, the AAMRN   
yahoo group and the PFFML yahoo group.  
  
Please send any feedback to maeyan@mailcity.com 


	7. Chapter Seven

Part seven:  
  
-----------------------  
  
Misty shuddered and rubbed her eyes. "He said he was tired of it all. I didn't know what he meant, but I do now. I almost want to give up, too." But if I do, she thought, then who'll take care of Pikachu and the others? And what if something's happened to Ash? "I'm not sure where to go from here, Gary. Maybe it was all because of me. Maybe I should just go home."  
  
They were eating breakfast at the Pokémon center. Misty had nearly become hysterical when they'd gotten the call that an exhausted Pikachu could be picked up first thing in the morning. Despite assurances that the Pokémon was all right, Misty had taken "first thing" to mean the crack of dawn and dragged Gary to the Center before Pikachu was even scheduled to be released.   
  
Gary nodded and swallowed his last piece of pancake. "But you stayed together this long. And you transferred your Pokémon to Pallet...?"  
  
Misty snorted softly and finally dropped her fork. She'd managed to eat her eggs and that was it. "You trying to say that my home is with Ash?" She looked across the table at him with a small smile. "Duh." She said in a way that she was sure sounded like her old self. "Why do you think I'm traipsing all over the country looking for his sorry   
butt, when I could be sitting pretty in some Cerulean City beauty salon having my nails done?" She held out her hands for inspection   
and sucked in her breath at how much 'older' they looked.   
  
"Ash and I... We never stopped traveling long enough to have a home." She frowned at the way that sounded, then grinned ruefully. "I mean, we were always on the road. Any talk of 'home' meant Pallet Town or Cerulean, but neither of us could stand being in either place for very long. It was like... Like we'd grown out of our old houses. Out of our old roles." She stopped a moment, reminded of how she'd felt when she'd met up with Mark and Kim, earlier in the year. "It's like we grew up and never noticed."  
  
"Well, I was trying to cheer you up and keep you from chickening out on me. I certainly don't want to have to put up with some weeping wuss on the last leg of this journey."  
  
Misty looked up, blinked away her thoughts on how fast time had sped by, and smiled. "Weeping wuss? I don't think so, buster." She tilted her head and squinted at him suddenly. "Did you say 'last leg'?"  
  
Gary nodded. "Yep. If I'm right, Ash is only about a week away. Think you can make it?"  
  
"Just try to keep me here. You'd need an army just to escort you safely outta town, after that statement."   
  
Gary leaned forward, his arms folded on the table between them, and told Misty his theory. Misty sat and listened as Gary explained about Ash's father and the Inn he ran on Gemuoba. She'd known, of course,   
that his father was still alive, but Ash had never expressed a desire to visit, at least not to her, and she told Gary so.  
  
"Mmm." Gary nodded. "But think about it... the letter to Mrs. Ketchum was postmarked Pridion, the Pokémon transfer..." and here Misty winced, "Sorry, but it *was* done here. And where better to escape Pokémon than an island retreat that has no naturally occurring Pokémon? Especially if he's got family there." Gary sat back.   
  
"But why come thru Pridion?" Misty still couldn't grasp that part and Gary sighed in exasperation.  
  
"Ash may be an idiot, but he's not stupid." Misty frowned and Gary smirked, "Pridion is the last Pokémon Center on the way to  
Gemuoba. Which means that Ash must still care somewhat about what happens to all of you."  
  
"How do you get that?" Misty asked, although her face beamed at the thought.  
  
Gary rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
"Think about it, Misty. Think of all the possible things Ash could have done to be rid of his Pokémon. He could have traded them, sold them, released them, anything. And instead, he made sure that you got them."  
  
"That's simply because I've known them all so long."   
  
"Hell, Misty. Gramps has known Ash longer than you and has been taking care of the Pokémon for just as long. But he didn't  
transfer them to Gramps, did he?"   
  
Misty blinked and stood. "Come on. We're wasting time sitting here. I don't know when they close today."  
  
Gary gaped at her sudden mood swing. He jumped up to follow her and managed to catch up as she was collecting the Pokémon at the front counter, Pikachu climbing to her shoulder.  
  
"Misty? Where are we going? You don't know when *who* closes?"  
  
She lifted Bulbasaur from the counter and smiled, then grabbed Gary's arm and dragged him out the door. "To the car rental place, silly," she laughed as Squirtle and Bulbasaur took the lead. "Where else can   
you rent a car?"  
  
"What?" He pulled to a stop and she continued a few steps before turning to look back at him. "Rent a car? I'm not..."  
  
Misty grabbed his arm again and gave a tug. "Not you, dummy. Me. You don't think I'm gonna wait a week now that I actually *know* where Ash is, do you? Let's go spend the last of my savings and get Ash!"  
  
"But? Why now? Why all of a sudden drive instead of walking?"  
  
"Because I didn't know you knew where he was. Now come on!"  
  
She dragged Gary to the car rental place where he managed to talk her out of a racy sportscar ("We'll get there in no time!" "We'll get there in pieces!") and into a nice calm four-door that allowed   
everyone enough room and even came with a booster seat for Pikachu.   
  
As they walked from the rental office to the car, Misty tossed the keys in the air and caught them again. She was happy despite the fact that she was now officially broke: they were almost to Ash! "I'll drive."  
  
Gary walked to the passenger side and helped Bulbasaur and Squirtle into the backseat. "Fine. We have to stop by the hotel to pay our bill and pick up our stuff."   
  
Misty looked at him like he'd grown an extra head. "You're gonna let me drive? Without arguing about it?"  
  
He straightened and looked at her. "Would I win? Besides if you're driving you can't hit me." He smiled and gave a small shrug. "Even   
driving it will take a while to get there, Misty. We can take turns."  
  
Misty got into the car and started down the road. "So. How come you didn't tell me? That you knew he was at Gemuoba? I thought we were coming here to Pridion merely try to pick up his trail." She took a moment to look at Gary. He had a deathgrip on the dashboard and she sighed, easing the pressure on the accelerator. "And I do have a license, if you're wondering. No need to panic."  
  
"You drive like my wife." She was amazed that he could talk the way his teeth were clenched. "I can't believe they gave either of you a license."   
  
---------------  
  
"Twice! That's twice you've had the map upside down! Is it some sort of defect in the Y chromosome?" Misty growled as she pulled off the road and waited for a break in the traffic before heading back the   
way they'd just come. "A whole day wasted traveling in the wrong direction."   
  
Beside her, Gary nearly exploded. "Well, at least I didn't mistake a jelly donut stain for lake, miss I-have-to-have-something-sweet. If I remember correctly, I drove three hours past our turn-off looking for   
it."   
  
Misty gripped the steering wheel tighter and was about to reply when a soft "bulba?" came from the backseat. She counted to ten and then smiled into the rearview mirror.   
  
"Sorry guys. Road Rage. How about we stop at that town we passed and get something to eat?" Misty looked back at Gary and saw him nod. She turned her attention back to the road and gave a small sigh. Just a few more days. If they were wrong, she wondered, and Ash wasn't with his father, would she have the strength to go further?   
  
---------------  
  
They finally arrived at the small coastal village that boasted the only ferry to the small island of Gemuoba. They stopped at a small gas station just inside the village and were heartened to discover that the last ferry to the island was yet to leave. The owner of the station graciously allowed them to leave their car in his parking lot and they quickly made their way to the docks. Not a word was spoken, by either Pokémon or human, as the ferry cut its way through the  
late afternoon sea.   
  
---------------  
The sun had just set, and the stone he was sitting on was getting colder by the second. It was almost time to start back. Too much   
longer and he wouldn't be able to see the trail. Ash sighed, wishing life was as simple as it had been when he was ten: when everything was just a matter of "trying hard enough." He was feeling particularly depressed today and he wasn't really sure why. A shadow came into view in front of him and Ash looked up.  
  
"Gary?"   
  
Gary's face looked as cold as the stone Ash was sitting on. "You are an ass, Ketchum. Did you know that?"  
  
Ash chuckled. So old Gar was angry, huh? "Nice to see you, too. Did you chase me down here just to tell me that?"  
  
"No. I came here to beat the living blazes out of you for what you've put everyone through."  
  
Ash stood up. He'd hoped to avoid causing pain by cutting completely away, but it apparently hadn't worked. Not for anyone. "Then why don't you, Gary? Go ahead." He faced his old friend, arms   
outstretched in surrender. Gary just crossed his arms and stood there, glaring.  
  
"As much as I would *dearly* love to hit you, Ashy-boy, I promised Misty I wouldn't lay so much as a finger on you."  
  
"Hmmm." Ash dropped his arms and started walking back towards the Inn. Misty. He missed her. If she were here - Well, she'd be yelling at him, if she were here. A rueful grin settled on Ash's face, but   
was soon chased off by darker thoughts. No. She hadn't followed him: why would she? After what he'd done... But then again, why did Gary? He walked on, knowing that Gary was right behind him, hearing him breathe and mutter. It wasn't long before Gary cursed aloud.   
  
"Ash, I've known you since the second grade." Gary put a hand on his shoulder, forcing Ash to stop and face him. "But I never thought you'd do something as stupid as this. Why did you just run away? And   
don't give me the line you gave Misty. About being tired? Bull, Ash. What's wrong?"  
  
Ash stood there, wondering what to say. Could he confess that he was scared? That he was confused? That he was tired and simply wanted to be selfish for a while? He stared at the fellow Pokémon trainer from Pallet. Would Gary believe that he'd just needed to think about himself and his plans - without distractions? The trouble with that, Ash knew, was that while he'd dropped everything and everyone and fled a half-continent away, he still didn't know what to do. Or even   
what he wanted.  
  
He really didn't know when he'd started to feel this way, either. He'd been thinking about it since before he arrived at his father's. And while his father had asked no questions about the sudden desire to live with him, and even though Ash had slowly adjusted to life at the Gemuoba Retreat and Inn, he still felt confused and lost.  
  
"I dunno, Gary. Really, I don't know. I guess, really. I was scared. Everything kinda built up and I just... got fed up. I guess I just grew up? It's not like I was doing anything important anyways. It's   
not like anyone cares."  
  
"Yeah. No one cares." Gary snorted. "So that's why Gramps sent for me. Why I tracked you down, why your friends are out scouring the damned planet looking for you..."  
  
"They don't have to do that. I don't need to be found. I'm fine. You should just forget about me. Everyone. Leave me out of your lives..."  
  
"Ash..." Gary tilted his head and frowned.   
  
Ash threw his hands up and turned away. "I'm going to be 22 years old next week, Gary! It's been over ten years! What have I done? Where am I going? I'm obviously not cut out for Pokémon - I haven't managed to make Master yet. All I do now is walk. Walk, walk, walk. A different town, a different gym. Challenging ten year olds to matches... It's embarrassing to lose to a ten-year old. To see other people have their dreams come true when year after year mine gets shelved."  
  
"What the hell?" Gary grabbed Ash's arm. "You idiot. Get over yourself. Do you know how long it took me to stop bristling everytime I'd walk into a town and you'd been there first? Everywhere I'd go it   
was Ash this and Ash that. Even Gramps couldn't help talking about your skills and talents and the latest things you'd done." Ash pried Gary's hand away from his arm and started walking again. He didn't want to hear this.  
  
"Dammit, Ketchum! Don't turn a deaf ear to me!" Ash had never really heard Gary use that tone of voice before, and wondered slightly why the man was so angry.  
  
"You wouldn't understand, Gary. You've already a Pokemon master. You've already got your dream." Ash kept walking. The Inn was just around the next stand of trees, and he wanted nothing more than to go to bed.  
  
He just made the last bend in the trail when Gary's arm again snagged his, this time spinning him around. A flash of instict had him ducking as Gary's fist came at his head. The air whizzed as the blow missed him and he looked up with shock. Gary's face was still and grim and Ash suddenly realized that the other man was seriously angry. "I thought you weren't gonna hit me?"   
  
"I wasn't. I'm going to have to apologize to Misty - but I think she'll understand."   
  
Ash gave a small shake of his head. "Yeah. She'd probably be cheering you on." He used his keys and opened the Inn doors. "We lock it from the outside. You have to be a guest to get in after hours. There were apparently some burglaries a few years ago." He led the way to the staff lounge, gave a silent prayer of thanks that it was deserted, and plopped into a chair. Releasing a sigh, he asked the one question he'd been dying to ask: "So. How is she?"  
  
Gary had also taken a chair, and Ash looked over to see him sitting forward, his head resting in his hands. "Do you really care, Ash?" Gary's voice was still harsh, muffled as it was. "If you care so much, why did you leave her?"  
  
Ash was getting angry himself. "I'm a nobody! Why can't anybody see that? I've spent over a decade trying to do just one thing - just to become the greatest Pokemon trainer - and I've gotten nowhere!"  
  
Gary jumped up from his chair. "What's going on with you? You're in how many halls of fame? You've been given how many awards and won countless number of prizes! You've been listed as one of the top five trainers in the world for over seven years running. You're mentioned in training manuals for godsake! What the hell makes you think you're not one of the greatest Pokemon trainers?"   
  
Ash stared at him and simply said, "I've never made Master."  
  
--------------------------  
  
Misty looked up and saw that the last of the Pokémon was finally asleep. Gary had left hours ago to try to find Ash, but she wasn't   
willing to sit still when she was this close.   
  
She grabbed her bag and silently limped into the hall, locked the door, and walked to the lobby. There were quite a few people milling   
about and she had to wait a moment for the line to disperse before she reached the counter.   
  
"Excuse me? My name is Misty and I was wondering if you could help me find someone who might be staying here?" She smiled at the woman behind the counter and hoped that it was her sincerity that was obvious in her eyes, and not the desperation.   
  
The woman took one look at her, though, and nearly screamed with glee. "It's you! John! Micah! Marie! Come quick! It's Ash's   
girlfriend!"   
  
Misty backed up a step as three more people suddenly popped up behind the counter. "Uhm..."  
  
"Oh, she's just as cute in real life!"   
  
"How could Ash leave her?"  
  
"No way she could be her; she's much too pretty."  
  
"She is!" the first woman stomped her foot and reached below the counter. "She looks just like the picture! Here!" A magazine was   
opened and passed around as Misty was apparently compared to its contents.   
  
Boy, was this embarrassing, Misty thought. But at least these people knew Ash. She pulled the magazine from their grips and saw it was a picture of herself and Ash after winning third place at the Peri Double Debut the previous year. She blinked and closed the magazine.   
  
Looking back up she tried her smile again. "Uhm. I don't know about girlfriend, but I this is me and I *am* looking for Ash. Can you tell me where he is?"   
  
One of the two ladies shook their heads. "No. His shift was over hours ago and he usually goes for a walk until after the dinner rush."  
  
"Yes." The second lady agreed and her face fell for a moment before an idea struck her. "But if you like, we can let you into his room and you can wait for him!" She turned to the men and snapped her fingers. "John, take her bag." She snapped again. "Micah, let her into Ash's rooms, please."  
  
The men jumped the counter and eagerly followed orders. Along the way, they filled Misty in on Ash's life at the Inn. How he'd arrived in the middle of a storm and how he'd pitched right in with the hired   
help despite the fact that his father owned the place. From the way they talked, it was obvious that Ash was a favourite. Misty smiled softly. She didn't know anyplace where Ash wasn't liked.   
  
They finally stopped in front of a large door where Micah selected a small gold key from a crowded ring and let her into what had to be one of the largest suites in the whole inn. He turned on the lights and handed her a key. "Here you go, Misty. Just ring the front desk if you need anything."  
  
The second young man, John, walked past them and into the room. "I'll place your bag in the bedroom. I don't know if you want to leave it there, but there's a massive bathtub off that room and I know my girl   
loves to take long baths whenever she can." He clapped Micah on the shoulder and the two walked back to the hall. "Well, good luck,   
Misty. We hope you cheer Ash up. He's been depressed since he got here." And they left, pulling the door shut behind them.   
  
Misty looked around the suite in surprise. It was so dreary and empty, she just couldn't believe that it was where Ash had been living since he'd left her. She wandered around and couldn't believe it. No pictures, no books, no nothing. It was an empty room and she wondered if it really was true that a person's house mirrored their   
soul. Did Ash hate his life with her so much that he'd run away from even himself?  
  
Well, she'd find out soon enough. She didn't know when he'd be back, or if he'd even be alone when he did, but Misty was determined to wait it out. She peeked into the bathroom and did indeed find herself tempted by the huge tub, but decided not to take the chance on being discovered. Besides, she didn't want to have to explain the scar, not yet at least. She'd just sit down and wait.   
  
She sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. It was so soft. And she was so tired. Perhaps she could just lie down and close her eyes for a second - not sleep, just... rest.   
  
--------------------------  
  
Ash was exhausted. Throwing his keys onto the chair by the door, he pondered his current mood. He'd known someone would find him eventually, so why was he so upset?   
  
He shrugged off his jacket.   
  
Because it was him instead of her? Gary instead of Misty? His ex-best friend instead of his current best friend. His rival instead of, if you asked anyone at the hotel, the girl he left behind.   
  
He walked into the darkened bedroom and flipped the table lamp on. As if conjured up by his thoughts of her, he saw Misty lying on top of the covers of his bed, oddly enough not wearing her usual shorts and   
haltertop, but a pair of oversized jeans and a faded t-shirt. From the soft sound of her breathing, Ash guessed she had fallen asleep. Probably while waiting for him to come back. That explained the looks the desk staff had been sending him as he'd passed through the lobby.  
  
He turned the lamp back off, pulled a chair close to the bed and sat. He studied her face in the dim light that came in from the   
livingroom. She seemed so tired.   
  
Gary's final question of the night echoed in his mind: "Why couldn't you tell her all this?"  
  
It had been how long since he'd left her? He frowned at the thought, but then had to admit it was the truth. That's what he'd done. He'd left her alone, in the middle of nowhere. Left her with all of his belongings and his Pokémon... all of his responsibilities. Left her. Just left. God, he *was* an ass. He wondered how long it would take to make it up to her. If he even could.   
  
Ash looked at her. He'd missed her more than he'd thought possible. He reached a hand to her face and felt her skin crinkle as she sighed a soft smile at his touch. It had taken him weeks to get used to sleeping alone, without her somewhere nearby; for ten years they had never really slept more than a few feet away from each other. Even when separated by walls and doors, he had known she was near.   
  
He stroked her face again, then gave in. Moving to the other side of the bed, he slid beside her and slowly pulled her close. He felt a small piece of his soul return as she snuggled closer. He didn't realize, though, that she had woken until he felt her draw a shaky breath and heard the tears; he loosened his grip and she turned to face him.   
  
"Misty? I'm s..." She didn't let him finish, instead, she grabbed him and held him tight.  
  
"I missed you so much, Ash. I was so alone and scared and tired and sad." She choked as her tears came faster. "And I couldn't tell   
anyone, 'cause no one was there. Everyone was looking for you and... And I couldn't let anyone see because I had to be strong and find you and your mom thinks it was my fault and then Pikachu ran away and I had to find him and then Team Rocket kidnapped him and Gary couldn't do anything about it and Brock said that you probably just needed   
some time away but you were gone for so long and Squirtle nearly died in the fight with that dark Scyther and I hurt so bad and Rei kept saying you were a good trainer and she didn't understand it either and then Bulbasaur wouldn't eat the food I bought him and got sick from the berries and I kept waiting and I was running out of money had to borrow some from my savings and kids wouldn't stop bugging me for battles and I needed some jeans and I only had yours and they don't fit ..."   
  
Ash held her while she babbled on, crooning softly to calm her and not understanding most of what she was saying. She finally stopped talking and just cried. "Misty?" He tried again as the sound of her crying softened, then smiled as he realized that she'd cried herself back to sleep again. He tried to pull away, willing to let her have   
the bed for the night, but she gasped, her hands grabbing for him. A soft "don't leave me again" broke his heart and he kissed her   
forehead.   
  
"Can we talk tomorrow, Mist?" He murmured as he wrapped his arms around her and prepared to spend a long night. "I think I need to   
talk."  
  
Maybe he'd been clinging to a dead dream for the past decade, trying to prolong his childhood, trying to relive the happiness he'd known in those first few years. The world had changed; he had changed, why   
hadn't his dream? Did becoming a Pokémon Master still hold such an important place in his heart? Obviously not, since he'd left it so easily. But maybe there was a place for him and his dreams after all. Or rather, a new dream. A gym or a school? That was Gary's suggestion. Training trainers and Pokémon.  
  
"Just so long..." she whispered back, pulling him closer. "...as you're here tomorrow, I don't care what happens then."  
  
Ash pulled a quilt from the bottom of the bed and covered them with it. He stayed awake for hours, just holding her and listening to her breathing. It was, he realised, something he would never tire of   
doing.   
  
He fell asleep just as dawn was creeping through the windows. His dreams were filled with riddles, none of which he remembered when he awoke. He looked about, but Misty was gone. The shower was running, though, and he fell back to the pillow with a sigh. She was really here. He smiled. He felt almost back to his old self again, with   
Misty around.  
  
"Ash?" The shower stopped and Ash heard the bathroom door creak open. He looked and watched Misty's face appear in the cracked jamb. "Oh, good, you're awake."  
  
"What is it, Misty?" His voice cracked a bit at the ideas his mind was tossing at him, and he quickly reigned in his wild thoughts.   
  
She pointed to an open backpack on the floor at the side of the bed. "Could you get into my bag and fetch me a skirt? I am sick to   
death of wearing these jeans of yours." Ash scrambled from the bed and reached into the bag. Reaching past the achingly familiar hard plastic of a Pokédex, he pulled out a long piece of fabric, holding it up to her view.   
  
"That's it!" she agreed and she pulled back to open the door a few more centimeters, reaching out a bare arm.  
  
He tossed it to her and she closed the door with a soft "thanks". He waited a second and then reached back into the bag and pulled out his Pokédex, carrying it into the living room with him. He ran his fingers through his hair a few times, and stared at the small machine for over a minute before finally giving in to temptation.  
  
Flipping it open, Ash noticed that she had updated the information for all of their Pokémon into his index and he smiled. He glanced through the stats for Pikachu and realized with a pleasant surprise that she'd been updating his pokedex since the very beginning - since the day he'd left. He was still flipping through when Misty came out   
of the bathroom. He looked up to see her in a loose floor length skirt that made her seem taller than he remembered. He had the   
craziest urge to twirl her across the floor to see if the skirt would float up. He swallowed as she walked over to sit next to him on the couch.   
  
"I don't think I've ever seen you in that skirt before." He managed to say, and she shook her head.   
  
"No, I bought it in Pewter. After... well. It was in Pewter." She didn't say anything more and Ash frowned. After? He remembered what she'd said the night before and quickly checked the Pokédex again. Yep. There it was. A scyther caught just outside of Pewter, with a notation from the Professor that it was continuing well in re-socialization therapy. Ash put two and two together and reached out a hand.  
  
"Ash! What are you..." Misty squawked as he lifted her skirt to reveal the scar running down her leg. She slapped his hand away and   
rearranged the skirt. They stared at each other for a few moments and finally Misty's eyes fell. "I didn't want you to see that," she said quietly.   
  
"Tell me." He managed to croak the words out, and she looked back at him with huge, tired eyes.  
  
"Pikachu ran away. When he found out you'd transferred him to someone else. We didn't know it was me yet, but that wouldn't have made a difference because even after... Well. He ran and we went days out of our way to find him. We had to take the long, back route to Pewter and we ran across a dark Scyther. Squirtle was hurt pretty bad, but I was able to get him out of the way just in time."  
  
Ash closed his eyes. He'd hurt her in more ways than he could have ever imagined. "I'm sorry." Now he understood the increased battle and health points on the Pokémon. And why she was wearing jeans and long skirts. And why Gary was ready to hit him on sight. He felt like the weight of the world had collapsed onto his shoulders and he wondered that all of it had happened because he'd tried to run away from his problems.   
  
He felt Misty leave the couch and opened his eyes. She didn't move far, though, just to his lap, where she wrapped her arms around him and placed her head on his shoulder.   
  
"Ash. It wasn't your fault. As much as I blamed you at the time, it wasn't your fault. I got hurt saving the life of a friend. That friend is still alive and all I have is a stupid scar. Please don't worry about it."   
  
"Misty!" He exclaimed angrily. "How can I not worry about it? If I hadn't run away, left you with all of my responsibilities, none of this would have happened."  
  
She sighed and pulled back to look at his face. "You want to make it up to me?" He nodded and she smiled a smile that took his breath away. "Then come home, Ash. Let's get Pikachu and the others from Gary and let's go home."  
  
"Home? Home, Misty? I am so confused. I came here hoping to figure things out and nothing is any clearer." The only thing he knew for   
sure was that he didn't want to leave her again, ever. That thought was crystal clear and he wrapped his arms around her as proof.  
  
He watched as Misty thought for a moment. "Home is with me, Ash, that much I know. You are not going to leave me ever again. You're stuck with me." He marveled at the way she had almost read his mind. "And I   
was thinking. Maybe it's time to do something drastic. Maybe we should settle down somewhere. You know. Like real couples do?"  
  
"Couple?" Ash repeated softly and then winced as Misty tugged his ear.  
  
"Yes, couple. You know - you, me, we, us. Together? Couple?" She let go of his ear, suddenly not joking any longer. "You... uh... do feel the same way I do, right? About me and well, us, right?" She started   
to leave his lap, but his arms tightened and he smiled.  
  
"Well. If you think you can possibly ever be in love with an idiot like me, then yes."   
  
She threw her arms around him again and kissed him. When they finally broke apart, Ash was astounded at how much he felt like laughing. Misty seemed to be thinking about something, though.   
  
"Ash, maybe we could open a gym or a school or something, somewhere?"  
  
"You sound like Gary." Ash raised an eyebrow. "Have you two been discussing my future without me?"  
  
Misty's eyes opened wide with feigned innocence. "Me? Talk about someone behind their back? Never!" She smiled again and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "No really, I've been thinking about it for a long time, now. I met up with a couple of kids shortly after you left, and they reminded me of how many people *we* met on our journeys. And I got to thinking that maybe we could be like that. Maybe we could be someone's inspiration, be their driving force."   
  
Misty's eyes grew soft and hazy. "She called me a teacher, Ash. And I... I think I want to be that."  
  
Ash contemplated the thought. Teaching. Misty was right, they'd met many a wonderful teacher on their own travels. Maybe that was it. "Maybe I'll never be a Pokémon Master in my own right. Maybe it is my destiny to help someone else - to be a rung in someone else's ladder... ow!"  
  
He rubbed his head where Misty'd thumped him and frowned. "What was that for?" Misty jumped from his lap in a fury.   
  
"That's what this was all about? That's why you left me? Why you left Pikachu and the others and made your family so worried? It was all over not becoming a Pokémon  
master?"  
  
Ash looked at her in amazement. "Well, yeah. I mean, god, Misty, it's been my dream since I was a kid. But it's okay, now. I mean I'm   
obviously not cut out to be a Pokémon Master, so I'm not gonna think about it anymore."  
  
Misty looked ready to throttle him. "I chased after you for how long, Ash Ketchum? All because I thought you were mad at me. I thought you left because of me! I thought you didn't like me anymore AND IT WAS   
YOUR STUPID PRIDE?"   
  
"Misty, I never meant for you to think I left because of you." Wow. Gary was right again, Ash thought. He really should have talked to Misty instead of running. "I was just so confused about everything, and nothing I did was right, so I figured I was better off away from everyone. And I didn't want you to have to be stuck with a loser like me any longer."  
  
Misty threw her hands up and turned. (The skirt, he noticed with a grin, did flare up.) "I can't believe it! That is so childish! Haven't you realized yet, that the only way to fail is to give up?"   
  
He ducked his head to miss being hit again as she turned back. "Maybe you're not destined to be a Pokémon Master, or maybe you're destined to be the first 99-year old to become a Pokémon Master, who knows. You just don't give up!"  
  
"Yes ma'am." He nodded with a sly grin, only to actually receive another thumping.  
  
"And don't call me ma'am! It makes me sound old!"  
  
"I can't help it, you *look* like one of my old schoolteachers in that long skirt," he kidded her. "And you *are* older than me, you know..." It felt good to be with her again. So good.   
  
"Ash Ketchum! How dare you...." He pulled her onto his lap and stopped her tirade with a kiss. As her arms came around his shoulders, he knew that no matter what lay ahead of them, at least one good thing had come out of all of this.   
  
Misty pulled back, her face somehow happy and sad at the same time. Ash hoped that he'd be able to someday erase the sad part. "Ash. Promise me from now on that when you have a stupid thought in your head you'll talk to me about it."  
  
He smiled. "I'll try, Misty." He watched her eyes roll and he smiled deeper.   
  
~ 'Tis Completed ~  
  
Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on this. It's been *my* dream to finish it and finally get it posted.   
  
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DISTRIBUTION: Please respect my (limited) copyright and ASK permission to borrow this story. This will be posted to my website   
(http://draxonious.tripod.com/), fanfic.net, fanfic.org, the AAMRN yahoo group and the PFFML yahoo group.  
  
Please send any feedback to maeyan@mailcity.com 


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